Viscae

By Sekhmet xV (SekhmetxV@aol.com) for the Metaphites

Description

The Metaphites are masters of body alteration and thus usually have high ratings in this Skill. They enjoy the fact that they are able to make practical use of their bodies, which they believe are gifts to them from their creator. Although useful in combat, these powers are most often used for the benefit of others.

One strange thing of note is that the name, Viscae, is not Egyptian like the Clan. This is a mystery to all but Metaph himself, as it was he who created and named the discipline.

A common Metaphite Elder will have a 3 in Obfuscate, a 4 in Protean and anything from 5 to 10 in Viscae. The answer why is simple: the Metaphites are proud of their discipline and enjoy flaunting it, usually just to piss off the Tzimisce. They make a passtime of finding new uses for their bodies and some have three eyes or even four; some may have as many as six arms, and almost all Metaphites who have reached level 4 in Viscae have a misplaced heart.

* Part Flesh

This power allows a character to do just that: part flesh as though with a scalpel by simply pulling it apart. This power is ideal for removing bullets, splinters, or anything else embedded in flesh. This, however, does not cause a wound, as the "incision" heals as soon as the two parts come back together. This power may be used without a roll so long as the target is willing. If the target is unwilling, the player using this power must first grapple the target and then roll 1/2 her Willpower against a difficulty of the target's willpower to succeed.

** Fleshcraft

By rolling Dexterity+Body Alteration at a difficulty of 7, the character may mold flesh like clay. An unwilling victim must be Grappled. If used to reduce Appearance, reduce by 1 for each success.

*** Musclecraft

Exactly the same as Fleshcraft but affecting muscle instead of flesh.

**** Organcraft

Exactly the same as Fleshcraft but allows organs to be reshaped and moved around. Ideal for creating a misplaced heart, adding an eye, or duplicating Serpentis Level 5. (however, when performing this duplication of Heart of Darkness, the difficulty is 10 and a botch kills the character upon which the discipline is being used -- mainly because Metaphites are just not the same as Setites.)

***** Bonecraft

By rolling Strength+Body Alteration at a difficulty of 7, the character may mold, bend, and reshape bone. If this power is used without also using Fleshcraft, one die of damage is done per success. Unwilling victims must be Grappled first. If used to reduce appearance, the effect is the same as that of Fleshcraft but, naturally, the change to the actual visage of the character will be far more severe -- just roleplay it differently.

****** Transplant

By spending a willpower point, the character using this power may reduce either Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, or Appearance by 1 and add that point to any of the other three Attributes.

******* Purge

By spending 2 Willpower points and enough Blood Points to fill the target's Blood Pool, the Vampire using this power may cure one disease or similar ailment. No less than 5 Blood Points may be spent in this manner; because of this the target may have to burn (ie.-waste) some Blood before this power can be used. The Blood Points spent by the Vampire using this power must be consumed by the target. (ex-Sekhmet, a Metaphite, is curing Vampiric Bone Disease in Angela, a Ventrue. Sekhmet's Blood Pool of 15 is full but Angela's Blood Pool of 15 has only 8 Points in it. Angela drinks 7 Blood Points from Sekhmet and Sekhmet spends 2 WP. Angela's disease is cured and she probably owes Sekhmet a boon...)

******** Resire

This is one of the most coveted powers a Vampire could possibly hold. This power is treated as a Level 8 ritual and the Metaphite must be aided by a Tremere of lower Generation. This power also requires a willing human sacrifice. By spending all but one WP (no less than 7 points) and all but one Blood Point (no less than 10 Points which are consumed by the Vampire being Resired), the Metaphite may prepare the target's body for Resiring. After the Willpower is spent and the Blood Points given (consumed by the target), the target's Humanity becomes 10. Then the Metaphite drinks all of the target's Blood and the mortal (who must be sacrificing herself of her own free will) comes into play. The Vampire being Resired, currently having no Blood in his Pool, now drinks all Blood from the mortal. (This mortal may then be Resired, but not by the Metaphite and not by the Tremere overseer) Upon drinking all Blood from the mortal, the Vampire being Resired ceases to be a Vampire. He dies the Final Death at this point. All Blood drunk from the mortal is instantly burned upon the death of the Vampire being Resired. This Vampire is treated as a mortal from whom all Blood has been drained and may now be sired as though he were a mortal (although not by the Metaphite or by the Tremere overseer). The only Clan of Vampires upon whom this power will not work are the Samedi, for their bodies are simply too far gone. Also, this power may not work correctly on a Nosferatu with the Putrescence Flaw. Any Vampire Resired as a Nosferatu or Samedi will take on a derangement (because no one wants to be one of those things). Any Vampire Resired by a Gargoyle will simply die. If the Resiring fails for any reason, the Vampire dies. The Vampire being Resired retains his disciplines. If a Metaphite with a 5 in Viscae and a 3 in Protean may be Resired as a Setite with a 5 in Viscae and a 3 in Protean. The only things which change are the character's Clan, possible Appearance, and possibly Disciplines, Humanity, and Paths, at the ST's discretion. All Attributes remain the same.

********* Resurrect

To use this power the Metaphite must spend his entire Blood Pool and fall into Torpor. This power will bring back to life any one mortal who has been dead for less than 12 hours. This power also requires the expenditure of 5 Willpower points.

********** Reform Body

Same as Vicissitude Level 10. The Metaphite will now live forever. (However, as with Vicissitude, the Reforming of the Vampire's body may take months or even years.)