rise. The result increases the drinker’s Speed and Initia-tive accordingly, with a possible increase in Defense.

Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled aretheir own reward.

•••• Crown of ThornsThe Gethsemani is able to cause a mortal touched to expe-

rience a rush of pain accompanied by the opening of dozens ofsmall wounds on the scalp. In some cases, only a small trickleof blood seeps forth, but sometimes the bleeding is profuse andcan result in unconsciousness or worse. In any case, the bloodcan make it difficult for the victim to see, as it streams downher forehead and into her eyes. Any Kindred or ghoul whoconsumes this blood experiences a sense of unearthly calm.Crown of Thorns cannot be used on Kindred or ghouls.

Cost: 1 WillpowerDice Pool: Composure + Intimidation + StigmaticaAction: Instant for activation of the power, though the full

effect of the blood is conferred only after each turn of drink-ing. Devouring the blessed blood requires an action each turn.

Roll ResultsDramatic Failure: Wounds appear on the victim and

they bleed, but they’re poison to drinkers. After all pos-sible Vitae has been consumed from a victim, the bloodturns to ash inside the drinker, inflicting a point of le-thal damage per Vitae consumed. No Vitae or other ben-efits are gained, either.

Failure: No wounds are inflicted on the intended vic-tim, although a successive attempt may be made withthe expenditure of another Willpower point.

Success: The victim responds as if a wicked wreath ofthorns were forcefully placed on her head. She suffers a num-ber of points of lethal damage equal to the successes achievedon the Stigmatica roll, and an equal number of Vitae areshed, one per turn. Each Vitae consumed from these woundsby a Kindred or ghoul provides an additional dot of Compo-sure that vanishes at dawn. Both a drinker’s Initiative andWillpower are enhanced by this increase. For each Healthpoint lost, the victim also suffers a –1 penalty to all rolls thatrequire sight until the bleeding stops. (See “Fighting Blind”on p. 166 of the World of Darkness Rulebook.)

Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled aretheir own reward.

••••• Spear of LonginusThe last and most dramatic of the traditional stigmata is

the injury caused by Longinus’ spear in Christ’s side. Notonly is the wound extremely deep, but it also has extraordi-nary spiritual significance. To the Lancea Sanctum and oth-ers, it is this act more than any other that establishes thedivinity of Christ and the special place of Kindred in God’sCreation. The fact that the act marked Longinus as a DarkMessiah adds further weight to the legend. Those who takeVitae from such a wound experience an ecstasy unlike anyother. Kindred find their own blood far more potent, while

ghouls discover their physical Disciplines suddenly ampli-fied. Spear of Longinus cannot be used on Kindred or ghouls.

Cost: 1 WillpowerDice Pool: Resolve + Empathy + StigmaticaAction: Instant for activation of the power, though the full

effect of the blood is conferred only after each turn of drink-ing. Devouring the blessed blood requires an action each turn.

Roll ResultsDramatic Failure: Wounds appear on the victim and they

bleed, but they’re poison to drinkers. After Vitae has beenconsumed from the victim, the blood turns to unholy ashinside the drinker, inflicting a point of lethal damage perVitae consumed. No Vitae or other benefits are gained.

Failure: No wounds are inflicted on the intended vic-tim, although a successive attempt may be made withthe expenditure of another Willpower point.

Success: A deep wound opens in the victim’s left side,causing lethal damage equal to the successes rolled +2. Anumber of Vitae equal to the total is also lost, one per turn.In addition to sustenance gained for each Vitae consumed, avampire’s Blood Potency increases by one for each three Vi-tae ingested. So, if three Vitae are drunk, three Vitae aregained and Blood Potency increases by one. If five Vitae areconsumed, five Vitae and two Blood Potency are gained. If aghoul drinks the blood, his highest physical Discipline is in-creased by one dot for every three Vitae swallowed. Theseeffects last until the first rays of sun appear.

Increased Blood Potency allows a recipient of this powerto gain higher Attributes and Skills than before (at least tillsunrise), but higher Discipline powers cannot be acquired.The drinker is still limited to powers based on his normalBlood Potency. Even if a Kindred were to use this power todrink Vitae for months, she would be unable to master aDiscipline that required a Blood Potency higher than whatshe officially has. She is able to spend more Vitae per turn,however, and to have more Vitae in her system overall.

Extra Blood Potency gained by a vampire is not con-ferred to one who diablerizes him. The victim’s originalBlood Potency determines any rewards of diablerie.

Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled aretheir own reward.

Stigmatica DeVOtions

Tears of Blood (Majesty ••, Stigmatica ••)History is replete with stories of statues and religious icons

that seem to weep tears of blood. This power enables avampire to lay hands on any depiction of a religious figure— it need not be Christian — and cause the statue to se-cretly, painlessly steal minute quantities of Vitae from thosewho pray at it or touch it. Laying on hands again causesblood to well up and flow from the eyes of the figure. Anymedium can be subject to this power, from stone to canvasto a photograph, so long as the object is Size 3 or larger.

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