geistnet | Entitlements Exclusive to the Brotherhood of Violence.

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Entitlements Exclusive to the Brotherhood of Violence.

ALL: THE BLACKGUARD OF THE WELL

The Well of Souls was the start of everything for the Brotherhood, and while God Herself told one of the founding Brothers that the device no longer needed a detail, the compact continues to take its defense seriously. Brothers and Sisters who have decided to devote their lives to safeguarding the Well of Souls are called Blackguards. Operatives who gain this entitlement are, in more ways than one, living reminders of the Brotherhood’s roots, symbolic of the events that gave birth to the compact itself.

Unlike many of their Brothers and Sisters in Violence, the Blackguards are paragons of defense, trained to serve as the ultimate tanks on the battlefield. They are all about precision and consistency, and each one seeks to be immovable objects in today’s Vigil, unruffled by the storms of the constant war for the Balance.

PREREQUISITES.

Status [Brotherhood of Violence] ••• or higher
Conviction ••• or higher (for mortals) or affective Supernatural Advantage ••• or higher (for supernaturals)
Benedictions rating of ••• or higher
At least ••• or more dots in a Defense Fighting Style

MEMBERSHIP & INITIATION.

The candidate must accurately discern the current location of the Well of Souls, and present his findings to his superiors. If he is correct, he becomes a Blackguard immediately.

OATH & PURPOSE.

Blackguards are almost permanently stationed in Europe, and only move whenever the Well of Souls moves. They exist to be the first line of defense for the Well, and are expected to do everything in their power to keep others from discovering the Well’s whereabouts, even if they happen to be fellow Brothers and Sisters in Violence. This makes them, in many ways, incredibly important Keepers of the Vigil: they have been trusted with the protection of a device that could make or break the Fifth World.

BENEFITS.

A Blackguard is eligible to purchase the Lightningsong Merit and may acquire the following Benedictions either for free or at the lesser cost of 10 experience points per ritual rather than the usual fifteen.

SISTERS IN VIOLENCE: THE VESTALIS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Unknown to many, the Society of Jesus has an interesting reason why they do not accept women into their order – it is grounded on the fact that the two times they attempted to, the actions of their candidates directly compromised the Jesuits, or showed that the candidates had no respect for the authority that the fledgling society was attempting to enforce. Hence, two bad run-ins almost permanently shut the doors on potential Sisters of the Gesu.

The Brotherhood of Violence, however, is a compact that developed the roots of Ignatian spirituality, and does not move within the same kinds of restrictions that their Jesuit brothers have. Furthermore, Maes Mordechai felt that it would be unfair to rob his Sisters in Violence of the opportunity to take on vocations of their choice. As such, sometime during the 16th Century, the Vestalis of the Holy Spirit was born. They have been formally recognized as the all-female chapter of the Society of Jesus since the First Reforms.

In essence, the work of the Vestalis – or Firebrands, as many call them – is exactly similar to the Society of Jesus. The only difference lies in the fact that Firebrands are full-time Keepers of the Vigil, by merit of their membership within the Brotherhood. Granted, in many ways this makes them close to the original founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola himself. They are soldiers of God in the Vigil, fully devoted to their cause. They also serve as the counterparts to the Maidens of the Veiled Sword, from the Order of the Mani dello Spirito Santo.

PREREQUISITES.

Character must be female
Status [Brotherhood of Violence] ••• or higher
Conviction ••• or higher (for mortals) or affective Supernatural Advantage ••• or higher (for supernaturals)
Benedictions rating of ••• or higher
Fighting Style: Sword & Shield ••• or higher

MEMBERSHIP & INITIATION.

The candidate must express her interest in joining the Vestalis to her superior. She is then made to participate in a battle royale, where she will engage all current members of the Vestalis. If she performs according to their standards, they gains the entitlement.

OATH & PURPOSE.

Firebrands are the justicars of the Brotherhood of Violence. They are expected to live a life of constant travel, ever ready to face any conflict that might greet them on the road, ever prepared to be the first to walk new paths in the Fifth World in the name of the faith. They are also meant to serve as the judges and mediators of the Brotherhood, handling situations that lie beyond the ken of the Faithful of St. Luke. In the earlier days of the Brotherhood, Firebrands, in fact, played judge, jury, and occasional executioner in delicate cases.

Another important role that the Firebrands play is the fact that they are meant to serve as watchers of the faith, defending Christianity by culling the weak and sinful within the religion. They must be prepared to dismantle structures of sin, most especially if they happen to rest within God’s own church.

BENEFITS.

A Vestalis is eligible to purchase the Fleur D'Orleans Merit and may acquire the following Benedictions either for free or at the lesser cost of 10 experience points per ritual rather than the usual fifteen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

LIGHTNINGSONG (• TO •••••)

PREREQUISITES FOR ARCHERS:

PREREQUISITES FOR WEAPONRY-BASED CHARACTERS:

PREREQUISITES FOR BRAWL-BASED CHARACTERS:

EFFECT:

Iaido [Defensive Light Sword]
Krav Maga [Defensive Striking]
Sojutsu/Jukendo [Spear/Bayonet-Fighting]
Tonfa Fighting
Sword & Shield
Evasive Striking

for archers
EQUILIBRIUM (•): The razor-sharp intuition of a sharpshooter combined with the near-perfect instincts of a martial arts master ensures that a Peshmerga is almost always the first to act in a combat situation. The character now adds his Weaponry and Athletics ratings to his Initiative score. This technique, we emphasize, stacks with other Initiative-boosting merits, skills and techniques. NIMBUS (••): Facing a skilled opponent is disorienting enough for any fighter; facing an opponent who can wield his bow as a weapon as adeptly as an armed fighter or master martial artist is downright frightening. Opponents specifically targeting the character suffer from a penalty equal to the higher rating between half of the character’s Weaponry and Athletics skill, rounded up. FULMEN (•••): the archers among the Peshmerga are incredibly familiar with the characteristics of their chosen weapon, and – at this level – the character has nearly perfected the art of taking advantage of what a gun-bow can do for them on the battlefield. When making a Weaponry-based attack, the character can reflexively choose to add a -3 penalty to this attack. Successes on this attack are dealt as damage as normal. Additionally, upon success, the character may attempt to make a single Firearms attack against the same target in addition to the initial successful Weaponry attack at a similar -3 penalty. This character can use this maneuver once per turn for every dot above 2 he has in the lower between his Dexterity and Composure. BRING THE STORM (••••): Peshmerga were known best for their supreme control of the battlefield, combining melee attacks, ranged attacks or gun-bow attacks in a flurry of pinpoint shots and calculated close-ranged strikes. As an instant action done on his Initiative, the character may forfeit his Defense to attack multiple targets with either ranged or melee attacks. The character can make an additional attack for every dot he has above 2 in the lower of his Dexterity or Composure. The number of targets he can attack is limited by the lower of his Dexterity and Composure. For melee attacks, his targets must be within the range of his Speed from his starting point. For gun-bow attacks, they must be within the range of his gun-bow. Drawback: The player must declare all intended targets with all intended attack types before he rolls. Furthermore, the character cannot do this maneuver if he has already used his Defense during the turn. WHAT THE THUNDER SAID (•••••): The main principle behind every strike and every shot a Peshmerga fires is the idea of controlling the battlefield to one’s advantage. Masters of Lightningsong excel at taking advantage of the natural weak spots of their opponents, or – in the case of inexperienced fighters, or aggressive enemies – their inability to control themselves. When a melee, brawl, or close-range ranged attack is attempted against the character, he may expend 1 Willpower point to reflexively declare a Dodge action, and make a Weaponry-based attack. The successes of the attacker are subtracted by the successes of the defending character. The character takes any remaining successes as damage. In the case of excess successes made by the character, the difference is received as damage by the attacker. Furthermore, the character now gains a free Weaponry-based action if he manages to deflect all the damage OR do additional damage. In both cases, after the action has been resolved, the character gains his Defense again as augmented by their Dodge action, although normal cumulative -1 penalties apply for additional attackers in a single round. Drawback: Once he has used What the Thunder Said, the character cannot do any other maneuver for this round. Furthermore, the character can only use What the Thunder Said for every dot he has in Dexterity above 2.
for brawl-based characters
EQUILIBRIUM (•): The razor-sharp intuition of a sharpshooter combined with the near-perfect instincts of a martial arts master ensures that a Peshmerga is almost always the first to act in a combat situation. The character now adds his Brawl and Firearms ratings to his Initiative score. This technique, we emphasize, stacks with other Initiative-boosting merits, skills and techniques. NIMBUS (••): Facing a skilled opponent is disorienting enough for any fighter; facing an opponent skilled in hand-to-hand combat and wielding a gun is confusing at its worst and frightening at its best. Opponents specifically targeting the character suffer from a penalty equal to the higher rating between the half the character’s Brawl and Firearms skill, rounded up. FULMEN (•••): Peshmerga are almost preternaturally skilled martial artists, and – at this level – the character has nearly perfected the art of taking advantage of what a gun can do for them on the battlefield. When making a Brawl-based attack, the character can reflexively choose to add a -3 penalty to this attack. Successes on this attack are dealt as damage as normal. Additionally, upon success, the character may attempt to make a single Firearms attack against the same target in addition to the initial successful Brawl attack at a similar -3 penalty. This character can use this maneuver once per turn for every dot above 2 he has in the lower between his Dexterity and Composure. BRING THE STORM (••••): Peshmerga were known best for their supreme control of the battlefield, combining melee attacks and ranged attacks in a flurry of pinpoint shots and calculated close-ranged strikes. As an instant action done on his Initiative, the character may forfeit his Defense to attack multiple targets with either ranged or Brawl-based attacks. The character can make an additional attack for every dot he has above 2 in the lower of his Dexterity or Composure. The number of targets he can attack is limited by the lower of his Dexterity and Composure. For melee attacks, his targets must be within the range of his Speed from his starting point. For ranged attacks, they must be within the range of his firearm. Drawback: The player must declare all intended targets with all intended attack types before he rolls. Furthermore, the character cannot do this maneuver if he has already used his Defense during the turn. WHAT THE THUNDER SAID (•••••): The main principle behind every strike and every shot a Peshmerga fires is the idea of controlling the battlefield to one’s advantage. Masters of Lightningsong excel at taking advantage of the natural weak spots of their opponents, or – in the case of inexperienced fighters, or aggressive enemies – their inability to control themselves. When a melee, brawl, or close-range ranged attack is attempted against the character, he may expend 1 Willpower point to reflexively declare a Dodge action, and make a Brawl-based attack. The successes of the attacker are subtracted by the successes of the defending character. The character takes any remaining successes as damage. In the case of excess successes made by the character, the difference is received as damage by the attacker. Furthermore, the character now gains a free Brawl-based action if he manages to deflect all the damage OR do additional damage. In both cases, after the action has been resolved, the character gains his Defense again as augmented by their Dodge action, although normal cumulative -1 penalties apply for additional attackers in a single round. Drawback: Once he has used What the Thunder Said, the character cannot do any other maneuver for this round. Furthermore, the character can only use What the Thunder Said for every dot he has in Dexterity above 2.
for weaponry-based characters
EQUILIBRIUM (•): The razor-sharp intuition of a sharpshooter combined with the near-perfect instincts of a martial arts master ensures that a Peshmerga is almost always the first to act in a combat situation. The character now adds his Weaponry and Firearms ratings to his Initiative score. This technique, we emphasize, stacks with other Initiative-boosting merits, skills and techniques. NIMBUS (••): Facing a skilled opponent is disorienting enough for any fighter; facing an opponent skilled in hand-to-hand combat and wielding a gun is confusing at its worst and frightening at its best. Opponents specifically targeting the character suffer from a penalty equal to the higher rating between half the character’s Weaponry and Firearms skill, rounded up. FULMEN (•••): Peshmerga are incredibly familiar with the characteristics of the weapons they use, and – at this level – the character has nearly perfected the art of taking advantage of what a gun can do for them on the battlefield. When making a Weaponry-based attack, the character can reflexively choose to add a -3 penalty to this attack. Successes on this attack are dealt as damage as normal. Additionally, upon success, the character may attempt to make a single Firearms attack against the same target in addition to the initial successful Weaponry attack at a similar -3 penalty. This character can use this maneuver once per turn for every dot above 2 he has in the lower between his Dexterity and Composure. BRING THE STORM (••••): Peshmerga were known best for their supreme control of the battlefield, combining melee attacks and ranged attacks in a flurry of pinpoint shots and calculated close-ranged strikes. As an instant action done on his Initiative, the character may forfeit his Defense to attack multiple targets with either ranged or melee attacks. The character can make an additional attack for every dot he has above 2 in the lower of his Dexterity or Composure. The number of targets he can attack is limited by the lower of his Dexterity and Composure. For melee attacks, his targets must be within the range of his Speed from his starting point. For ranged attacks, they must be within the range of his firearm. Drawback: The player must declare all intended targets with all intended attack types before he rolls. Furthermore, the character cannot do this maneuver if he has already used his Defense during the turn. WHAT THE THUNDER SAID (•••••): The main principle behind every strike and every shot a Peshmerga fires is the idea of controlling the battlefield to one’s advantage. Masters of Lightningsong excel at taking advantage of the natural weak spots of their opponents, or – in the case of inexperienced fighters, or aggressive enemies – their inability to control themselves. When a melee, brawl, or close-range ranged attack is attempted against the character, he may expend 1 Willpower point to reflexively declare a Dodge action, and make a Weaponry-based attack. The successes of the attacker are subtracted by the successes of the defending character. The character takes any remaining successes as damage. In the case of excess successes made by the character, the difference is received as damage by the attacker. Furthermore, the character now gains a free Weaponry-based action if he manages to deflect all the damage OR do additional damage. In both cases, after the action has been resolved, the character gains his Defense again as augmented by their Dodge action, although normal cumulative -1 penalties apply for additional attackers in a single round. Drawback: Once he has used What the Thunder Said, the character cannot do any other maneuver for this round. Furthermore, the character can only use What the Thunder Said for every dot he has in Dexterity above 2.

Edited 2014-08-14 10:10 (UTC)

Upon initiation, a Blackguard gets the following Benedictions for free.

ARMOR OF ST. MARTIN

In the constant battle against the Darkness and its many forms, the Mani dello Spirito Santo must stand ever ready. Since the modern world frowns upon the wearing of riot vests by the general population, many hunters offer their prayers to St. Martin of Tours, the patron saint of soldiers, to watch over them and protect them. Uttered before going into battle, the prayer of the Armor of St. Martin has saved many hunters’ lives.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Stamina + Survival + Benediction

PRAYER TO ST. GERMAINE

St. Germaine, recognized patron to victims of child abuse, was the favorite saint of Mila Oborskaia, an Ursan Changing Breed and one of the founding members of the Mani dello Spirito Santo. Godhand Mila was a Den-Warden, and served as a mother-figure to her brothers and sisters – records state that her deep need to aid all under her protection was a result of the abuse and neglect she faced at the hands of her own parents. This Benediction was developed to honor her legacy, and Vaizards who invoke it find themselves filled both with sorrow and righteous rage over the plight of St. Germaine, and with inspiration over her response to such terrible circumstances. These emotions are what they draw upon in their mission to protect others from the evils of the world.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Resolve + Empathy + Benedictions

A Blackguard can purchase the following Benedictions at 10 experience points per ritual rather than the usual fifteen experience point cost.

SAINT AGATHIUS’ CALL

Saint Agathius of Byzantium is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, or Auxiliary Saints, and among their number is the patron of soldiers. Scourged and beheaded after terrible torture for refusing to renounce his faith, a hunter knowing Saint Agathius’ Benediction can draw upon a measure of that saint’s resolve. The hunter empowers himself in the martyr’s role, drawing the attention and ire of an attacker so that his companions may live unmolested.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Presence + Intimidation + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+1 The hunter is a Soldier by Profession, or has recognizably devoted much of his skills and/or Merits to combative arts
+1 The hunter possesses the Giant Merit.
+2 The hunter has the highest Strength of his Blade
+5 The Benediction is performed on May 8 (feast day of Saint Agathius of Byzantium)

FORTITUDE OF ST. GEORGE

Best known for his slaying of the dragon in the city of Silene, St. George was also a Christian martyr slain by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He endured tremendous torments and suffering, and the stoicism with which he bore it convinced the Empress Alexandra to convert to Christianity as well. The hunters of the Malleus Maleficarum venerate St. George as one of the first of their order in spirit, if not in formal membership, and they pray to him for the courage and strength to endure the torments of their own struggles with the Dragon. This has not changed all that much for the Vaizards of Mani dello Spirito Santo.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Resolve + Survival + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction is performed on April 23rd (feast day of St. George)
+1 The ritualist’s Virtue is Fortitude.
+1 The ritualist is a sworn Brother or Sister in Violence

JUST A STEP ALONG THE WAY

This Benediction was divinely inspired by “A Future Not Our Own”, a prayer developed by Archbishop Oscar Romero. It reads:

It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of
the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is completely,
Which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not Messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.

By calling upon the Reverend Oscar Romero, a Vaizard can fill both himself and his Blade with the divine revelation of their place in the universe and as brothers and sisters of the order, intimately connecting them in a fashion that allows them, as a collective whole, to perform tasks with eerie efficiency.

COST: 2 Willpower

ACTION: Extended; Vaizard must concentrate for two full turns in order to complete the prayer

DICE POOL: Presence + Expression + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction invoked on March 24 (the day of Archbishop Romero’s death).
+1 The ritualist’s Virtue is Prudence.

SCUTUM SANCTE TRINITATIS

This Benediction invokes the “Shield of the Trinity,” or the Scutum Sancte Trinitatis. This Benediction is used by the righteous soldier of God to protect himself against all mortal damage that might end his crusade against the Devil’s army. It is, at present, a Benediction found among the Athanasians in the Malleus Maleficarum, and it was a jealously guarded secret within their ranks. The Brotherhood of Violence, however, spread the invocation within their own number, and eventually shared it with Vaizards within the Mani dello Spirito Santo. Who knows how they managed to learn it…

To use Scutum Sancte Trinitatis, the Vaizard must mark himself with the symbol of the Shield of the Trinity, a symbol marked by four nodes (linked by six lines).

COST: 3 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Resolve + Survival + Benedictions

Edited 2014-08-14 10:12 (UTC)

FLEUR D’ORLEANS (• TO •••••)

PREREQUISITES:

EFFECT:

ZEALOUS GUARDIAN (•): Your character is a seasoned veteran and practically one with her chosen weapon and shield, making it next to impossible to flank her. Your character will always apply her full Defense rating against multiple attacks.

PERFECTED DEFENSE (••): Usually, a fighter who uses a shield in battle can easily be flanked by the enemy. Your character, however, has learned to turn this disadvantage into a weapon in itself. With a successful reflexive Dexterity + Subterfuge roll vs. the targeted opponent’s Wits + the higher rating between their Weaponry, Firearms or Brawl (according to the attack they are using), the character can trick an opponent into thinking that she is unaware of incoming attacks. Their next attack roll against the character suffers from a -1 penalty. This stacks with any other penalties that may have been levied on their dice pool.

SILVER HAMMER (•••): Sometimes, combat situations require a warrior to get rid of as many opponents as possible with whatever’s at hand. By expending one Willpower point, your character can target two different enemies with her weapon and shield respectively. Attacking with the shield suffers from a -2 penalty; the Shield’s Defense rating becomes the attack dice pool’s weapon bonus and deals bashing damage. The second targeted opponent must be within the character’s Speed rating.

Drawback: using your Shield as a weapon means that you cannot use it to defend yourself. Your character loses the Defense bonus provided by your Shield’s Defense rating for that turn.

IRON LILY (••••):Your character is a formidable force in a combat situation, capable of deflecting incoming attacks as if it were second nature to her. When attempting to target the character for an attack or similarly offensive move, opponents automatically suffer a penalty to their dice pools equal to the character’s dots in Sword & Shield and her Weaponry Skill together with the character’s Defense and Armor.

ACHILLES’ HEEL (•••••): Your character has become adept at pressing against enemy attacks, so much so that she can immediately take advantage of their disorientation. Upon a successful Shield Bash maneuver, the character gains a free Weaponry-based action.

Edited 2014-08-14 10:13 (UTC)

Upon initiation, a Vestalis gets the following Benedictions for free.

LA LANGUE DES SAINTS

No lie escapes God’s sight, and behind every lie is the dark seed of guilt. By invoking Saint Francis de Sales, hunters of the Malleus Maleficarum and Vaizards of Mani dello Spirito Santo have found a way to ensure that seed grows into a tangle of catharsis among the lowly and the wretched.

A great peacemaker, converter and diplomat, Saint Francis has become a patron of confessors. By calling upon his name, the Vaizard can command another to tell the truth. Saint Francis himself guides the tongue of the foul target and all who are near can be sure the next answer it provides will be without deceit. By spending a turn in prayer, the practitioner points and commands his target to speak true before God. The target must answer the hunter as truthfully as possible.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant and contested

DICE POOL: Intelligence + Persuasion + Benediction versus target’s Resolve + Subterfuge + Supernatural Advantage

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction performed on January 24 (Feast Day of Saint Francis of Sales)
+2 Target is Catholic
+1 Practitioner is canonized
-2 Target’s Morality is 7 or above

LOYOLA’S FIRE

This Benediction — allowing one to never be far from God’s light — is named and credited to the Saint best known for bringing the light of the Church to dark places. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (better known in modern nights as Jesuits), was a knight before coming to the cloth and often found himself in dark places in need of shelter, warmth, and light. By invoking the name of Saint Ignatius, the Vaizard may imbue an object with his blessing and cast a holy light through the darkness. This light illuminates all as if through a crack in Heaven. Its glory is such that the undead cannot suffer to be in its presence.

This prayer is uttered over a cross or similar holy object. It is possible to perform the Benediction with the power of the practitioner’s faith alone, but at a penalty. The primary purpose of this Benediction brings a very real illumination to the surrounding area that the unnatural dead cannot abide. Despite the obvious utility of this “secondary” feature of the Benediction, it remains technically a side effect. Practitioners calling on Ignatius without need of his light will find it significantly more difficult than those followers truly wandering in the dark.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Resolve + Occult + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction performed on July 31 (Feast Day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola)
+2 Blessed object (i.e. sacred reliquary)
+2 The Ritualist is an ordained Jesuit
+1 The Ritualist is a Sworn Brother or Sister in Violence
+1 Religious or other appropriate object (i.e. normal bible)
+1 Pitch black
-1 No object
-2 The area is lit
-3 Profane object (i.e. pornographic magazine)

MANTLE OF ORLEANS

This Benediction is associated with Jeanne D’Arc, the young French woman famously besieged by visions of Heaven. Unable to ignore the Lord’s call to arms, she waged a military campaign that helped save France near the end of the One Hundred Year War. Wrongly condemned for heresy by the politicians of the time, Saint Jeanne has posthumously been cleared of all charges, and beatified and canonized in short order. She serves as an inspiration to women in the church and all who bear arms in the name of God. It is no surprise that the Malleus Maleficarum and Vaizards of the Mani dello Spirito Santo have come to hold her in such high regard when it comes time to raise the standard of war. Specifically, this Benediction invokes her glorious success under Heaven in lifting the siege of Orleans in only nine days. This prayer blesses the practitioner’s brothers in arms as they battle unholy forces. The companions of the practitioner receive a blessing that guides their blows and turns aside their enemies’ attacks in turn.

In the course of the prayer, the hunter invokes Margaret of Antioch, Catherine of Alexandria and Michael the Archangel to aid in battle as they once graced Saint Jeanne. She must remain in prayer for every turn she wishes to continue issuing the blessing. For every turn the practitioner remains in prayer, members of her Blade gain bonuses to all combat rolls and attributes (i.e. Defense, Initiative). This doesn’t necessitate rolling or expending Willpower every turn, only the act of prayer itself. If interrupted (she is otherwise stopped from speaking or is attacked, for instance), the Benediction ends. She may not attempt to use this Benediction again until 24 hours have passed.

COST: 3 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Manipulation + Expression + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction performed May 30 (Feast Day of Saint Jeanne D’Arc)
+1 The Ritualist is a sworn Brother or Sister in Violence
+2 The Ritualist is holding a blessed item (a sacred banner, a sanctified sword)
-2 Distractions (loud noise, trembling ground, the combat is going on inches from the hunter’s face)

TRUE SIGHT OF ST. ABEL

The Malleus Maleficarum’s version of this Benediction was geared towards revealing the “true nature” of the “monsters” they faced in battle. The Vaizards of the Mani dello Spirito, however, call upon St. Abel – patron saint of the blind – for an entirely different purpose.

Vaizards with this Benediction are capable of piercing through the veils of time and fate, enabling themselves for but a few moments of perfect clarity, to see an accurate picture of the future. The ritual requires a great amount of prayer, and the ritualist must have a set of clearly worded questions that he wants answers to, thus his need to seek out St. Abel’s guidance.

COST: 2 Willpower

ACTION: Extended; each roll represents one minute of prayer and supplication

DICE POOL: Intelligence + Academics + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction invoked on August 5th.
+1 The ritualist’s Virtue is Temperance.

Edited 2014-08-14 10:13 (UTC)

A Vestalis can purchase the following Benedictions at 10 experience points per ritual rather than the usual fifteen experience point cost.

EPIPODIAN SAFEGUARD

Satan’s servants are as subtle as they are powerful. Many are capable of warping a hunter’s mind, forcing her to betray her friends and allies. By invoking St. Epipodius, patron saint of the betrayed, a Vaizard can safeguard herself against such blasphemous arts. Through the power of faith, her soul remains pure and loyal.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: None

FORTITUDE OF ST. GEORGE

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction is performed on April 23rd (feast day of St. George)
+1 The ritualist’s Virtue is Fortitude.
+1 The ritualist is a sworn Brother or Sister in Violence

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

This Benediction takes its name from the location that the Christian faith recognizes as the spot where Jesus Christ ascended to heaven in full sight of his apostles. Vaizards of the Mani dello Spirito, however, invoke it not by specifically calling upon Jesus Christ himself, but to St. Olivet, a Tammuz Golem and one of the few Prometheans who sought to join their number. When he was faced with a choice between completing his Pilgrimage (thus being reborn as a human being) and saving an entire village from a rampaging Centimani, St. Olivet chose to save the villagers, sacrificing his life in the process. Invoking St. Olivet’s name gifts Vaizards with unnatural resilience. It has its limits, but it often lasts long enough to get the job done.

COST: 2 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Resolve + Survival + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction performed on the Feast of Ascension (40th Day of Easter).
+2 The Benediction is invoked during a battle where the Vaizard is at a clear disadvantage (i.e. outnumbered, outgunned)
+1 The ritualist’s Virtue is Charity.
+1 The ritualist is an Alchemist or a Promethean.

SETH’S STORM

The history behind this Benediction was only recently discovered by the Vaizards of the Mani dello Spirito Santo, during a drinking session with Maes Mordechai, a Brother in Violence. It is named for a ritual he and his brother Alistair developed during one of their original lives. They were divinely inspired after they watched one of their brothers – Seth – in battle. Interestingly enough, Seth was one of the twenty-seven previous lives that Hikaru Shinta, Blade King of Zangyaku, lived through.

While Vaizards who invoke Seth’s Storm are actually calling for the aid of the Biblical Seth – third son of Adam and Eve, brother to Cain and Abel and the only other child of the First Man and Woman who were named in the Old Testament – the nature of the Benediction appears to grant a bit of the Blade King’s fighting prowess upon the Vaizard who invokes it.

COST: 2 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Strength + Weaponry + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+2 The ritualist is a sworn Brother or Sister in Violence
+1 The ritualist is using a bladed weapon
+1 The ritualist is a Bladian, or recognizably a swordsman or knife-fighter by training.

THE WINGS OF ST. GALL

The Irish St. Gall (also known under the names of Gallen and Gallus) was one of the traditional twelve companions of Saint Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. He is recognized as the patron saint of birds, and Vaizards of today’s Vigil can call upon his aid to grant them the celerity of birds in flight.

COST: 3 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Dexterity + Athletics + Benediction

Modifier Situation
+5 Benediction performed on October 16th (St. Gall’s Feast Day).
+1 The ritualist has at least one dot in Animal Ken.

A WREATH OF VERBENA FLOWERS

Eater of Verbena Flowers, an Uratha of the Cahalith Auspice, was one of the founding members of the Mani dello Spirito Santo. She has been recognized for her continuous attempts at reconciling with her Pure brethren, and she was eventually killed during one of her missions. Vaizards of today’s Vigil call upon her to protect them in battle, and she has been known to answer their prayers by blessing them by filling their bodies with healing light, enabling them – if only for a short period of time – to regenerate at a speed similar to that of a werewolf.

COST: 1 Willpower

ACTION: Instant

DICE POOL: Stamina + Animal Ken + Benediction

Edited 2014-08-14 10:14 (UTC)

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