The following are just a few of the possible Dark Thaumaturgic rituals.
Those skilled in this Discipline may create rituals, but
most rituals are ancient secrets, passed from one Infernalist to another.
Statistics for the demons listed in the rituals below are
included in the Bestiary section of this sourcebook.
Level One
Aport Object This ritual allows the practitioner to magically enchant an object. The next time the Infernalist desires the object in her hand, all she has to do is speak a magic word and the object appears.
Spectral Mask This ritual covers the caster's face with a magical
mist. The mist takes the image of some horribly demonic
creature, causing all those seeing it to make a Courage (or Morale)
roll (difficulty 6) to resist running in fear. If using Werewolf:
The Apocalypse, the Storyteller can use the Delirium chart to determine
how the mask affects viewers.
The Knotted Cord
This Ritual has saved many an infernalist from trial and execution, by silencing accusers.
System: The infernalist must knot a length of rope while reciting the
name of whomever she wishes to silence. Unless the target
beats the infernalist in an opposed Willpower roll, he is unable to
denounce her.
Bind the Familiar
This Ritual calls and binds a familiar to the infernalist.
System: This hour long ritual calls up a minor imp that possesses an animal's body and serves the infernalist faithfully.
Level Two
Haunting Memories Through this ritual, the practitio ner creates
painful images and transfers them to the next person touched.
The victim will be haunted by these reoccurs ring, demoralizing images
for weeks. During this time, the victim will feel somewhat
guilty and saddened, but never know exactly why.
Sign of the Moon This ritual makes the claw and fang attacks of
lupines less effective. For one night, the Infernalist will not take
aggravated wounds from lupine attacks but will take aggravated wounds
from silver.
Summon Grantel This ritual allows the vampire to summon Grantel,
the Mandragora. There is no binding or dismissal rituals for
this creature, because the creature is the servant of a much greater
demon. While there are binding and dismissal rituals
inscribed in many tomes, all are fake. For this reason, once Grantel
is summoned, it is hard to get rid of him.
Bring Forth the Hell Beast
Through the use of this Ritual, an infernalist may infuse an animal
with corruption and rage. The beast becomes twisted and evil,
seeking to wreak the Devil's own havoc on humanity.
System: An infernalist who knows this ritual merely needs to lay his
hands on any beast and thereby infuse it with a little of his
blood ( one Blood Point). The animal flies into a rage and attempts
to kill anyone and anything it encounters, until slain. This
trace of infernal taint provides increased strength (Potence 1), and
the animal becomes so frenzied that it feels no pain (is not
affected by wound penalties).
Warding Circle
This Ritual prepares an area for infernal magics by creating a protective circle to defend the infernalist from a demon's anger.
System: The warding circle is a complicated diagram of astrological
symbols that has to be drawn with special chalks while an
incantation is intoned. The infernalist can either create a temporary
warding circle, which takes 30 minutes to complete, or
makes a permanent circle, which takes several nights. Once the circle
is completed, the infernalist must stand inside it and
activate the ritual magic with a prepared phrase or prayer. So long
as the infernalist remains within the enchanted space, she is
protected from any attack by an infernal creature unless the creature
can beat her in a resisted Willpower test.
Botching the roll to enact this Ritual can be fatal and damning. A botched
Warding Circle offers no protection at all, though the
infernalist will believe that her ward is sound.
Level Three
Sign of the Wraith This ritual makes the Infernalist immune to the attacks
of all spirits for a period of 13 minutes, though she
cannot effect them for the same period. By remaining absolutely motionless,
the Infernalist may extend its duration threefold.
Movement after the first 13 minutes automatically dissolves the protection.
Summon Tivilio This ritual summons Tivilio, the Injurer of Cats.
Of course, a cat must be given in sacrifice. Like most demons,
Tivilio is evil and tricky; despite its limited power, it is vile and
cunning.
Turn to Toad This ritual turns the practitioner or another individual
into a toad. If the Infernalist uses the ritual on herself, she
may change back at any time. If used on someone else, the spell will
wear off in 12 days, minus one day per Willpower point
the victim possessed at the time of the transformation.
Blood Imp
This strange Ritual allows the infernalist to distill an obedient homunculus
from his own blood. The homunculus assumes the
form of a small animal, often a j ackdaw or monkey, and can be used
as a spy or thief.
System: The Blood Imp is created from vitae and shaped by the magic
of the ritual. It has a Strength Attribute (for carrying
things only) equal to the Blood Points spent on its creation, and Health
Levels equal to the number of successes gained on the
die roll. It has no combat abilities ( though it may serve as a distraction)
and lasts for one night. Its method of locomotion is
based on its animal form (jackdaws can fly, monkeys climb, etc.).
Bloody Bones
This Ritual is cast over an area. The infernalist must bury a specially
prepared bag of bones in the area of casting. Once this is
done, the place is cursed plants wither and die, stillbirths are common,
and tempers flare easily. The cause of the curse is a
spirit that is bound into the bones.
System: The spirit bound into the bloody bones has influence over an
area as large as a village. The area is cursed so long as
the bones remain buried. Vampires can easily find the bag of bones
with Heightened Senses; scattering the bones frees the
spirit. While the curse is in effect all frenzy rolls are at + 1 difficulty,
in addition to the effects imposed upon mortal life.
The Leadened Heart
An infernalist uses this Ritual to bind a target to the spot so that he cannot flee the fate in store for him.
System: The infernalist must not only know the name of the target but
must use some personal token (a piece of clothing, a lock
of hair) to work the magic. After a 1 0 minute Ritual, the victim finds
himself unable to flee the area, unless he can beat the
infernalist's successes in a Willpower roll. Should the victim botch
this roll, he grows paralyzed with fear and cannot act in any
way until the magic expires. The Ritual's power ends either at cockcrow
or if the victim's name is called out by a true love. This
Ritual is not limited by any distance; as long as the infernalist has
a personal token she may affect her subject. Luckily for that
subject, the token is consumed each time this Ritual is enacted.
Level Four
Bind Tivilio This ritual forces Tivilio to perform one task after
it has been summoned. Once it completes the assigned duty, it is
free to do as it pleases even remaining on Earth.
Summon Lucricia This ritual summons Lucricia the Succubus. Lucricia
will be more than willing to please the caster because
she corrupts in this manner.
Vile Swarm
Infernalist Nosferatu have learned many secrets in their deep catacombs.
This Ritual allows entire swarms of vermin to be
commanded and used on missions of destruction.
System: The infernalist performs the Ritual to summon a horde of creatures
(insects, bats or rats), and then feeds them her
blood. These bound creatures swarm at the infernalist's command, overwhelming
foes and destroying crops and property. As
long as the infernalist concentrates, the swarm is disguised as if
by Cloak the Gathering (such intense concentration requires the
player to spend one Willpower point each hour). Hundreds, even thousands
of creatures compose the swarm, and only fire or
some other massive form of destruction can halt its rampage.
Lethean Chains
The infernalist may erase memories from his target by using a special potion, thereby concealing his evil actions.
System: This Ritual allows the infernalist to distill a potion that
causes the imbiber to forget all that happens for the space of one
night in her amnesiac state the victim is easily led astray and can
even be blamed for the crimes of the infernalist. The Ritual itself
is simple, taking only a few minutes of preparation time; however,
the potion's ingredients include the tears of a demon or water
from an Underworld river, so are hard to obtain. Each preparation of
the potion contains a number of doses equal to the
infernalist's successes.
Level Five
Dismiss Tivilio This ritual removes Tivilio from this world. The
use of this ritual angers Tivilio, and it may seek retribution should
it ever return.
The Inner Furnace This extremely potent ritual may only be used
against humans. The ritual causes a single victim to self
combust and bum to death in his own flames. The Infernalist must be
able to see the victim and succeed in a Manipulation +
Demon Lore roll (difficulty victim's Willpower). Every success causes
a level of damage that may not be soaked.
Soul Leech The Infernalist with this power can draw souls out
of the recently deceased with a successful Wits + Intimidation
roll (difficulty of the soul's Willpower). The Infernalist cannot retain
the souls, and drawing them out with this ritual destroys
them while replenishing the Infernalist. Each soul thus absorbed gives
the Infernalist five Blood Points and heals one wound. The
Infernalist also receives a rush, stronger than any blood drinking
could give. Souls go through complete agony during these few
moments. They appear as vaporish clouds of swirling light wisping around
the Infernalist, making terrible moaning sounds for
the entire duration. The faces of the dead can be seen in the vapor.
The Hand Glory
This Ritual allow& the infernalist to put all the inhabitants of a building into a deep slumber.
System The infernalist must ritually prepare a hand cut from the corpse
of a hanged man. By lighting the fingers of the hand and
using it as a torch, the infernalist causes all the inhabitants of
any place he enters to fall asleep ( if the infernalist enters a massive
building such as a castle, only those in his immediate vicinity will
sleep; those in distant parts of the structure are unaffected and
are likely to notice the disturbance). Once those within slumber, the
infernalist can move about freely.
Ward Versus Demons
This Ritual works in a manner similar to Ward Versus Ghouls (Level Two
Ritual), but affects demons and other infernal
creatures.
System: The requirements of this Ritual are the same as those of Ward
Versus Ghouls, except the required component is the
blood of an innocent (non infernalists learn a variant of this Ritual
that requires holy water).