Mind's Eye Theatre - Vampire The Requiem.pdf - RoseRed

BLOOD SUPPLY
When a vampire takes blood from a vessel, he may take one Vitae per turn. A vampire need
only lick the wound when he’s done to hide the marks left by feeding. This effect applies to
only bite marks made for the purposes of feeding from prey, not to aggressive bites intended
to cause damage. Further only the vampire’s own bite marks are affected thus — a Kindred
may not lick a wound left by another vampire and heal it.
A vessel has a number of Vitae equal to its Health dots. In game terms, an average adult human
contains seven points worth of Vitae. When a vampire feeds from a vessel, each Vitae taken
infl icts one point of lethal damage on that vessel. (Special effects that augment a character’s
Stamina or add temporary Health dots do not add to the quantity of Vitae in a character’s
body. A character always has a number or Vitae equal to her unmodifi ed Health dots.)
In most cases the vessel doesn’t resist, as the ecstasy of the Kiss overwhelms the shock the
Kindred infl icts on the mortal’s system. Players of mortals and other living victims who wish
to resist the Kiss must gain three or more successes on a Resolve + Composure draw. This
depends on the environment, however. A vessel seduced or even surprised and subjected to
the Kiss may lose herself in it, while a foe bitten in combat (or even one who feels threatened
or otherwise at risk) never need yield to pleasure just because the Kiss feels good. Note that
vampires are immune to the Kiss of other Kindred, as they know exactly what’s going on
and can fi ght back.
THE VAMPIRE’S BITE
According to p. 218 of the Mind’s Eye Theatre rulebook, a character attempting
to bite as a combat action fi rst has to achieve a grapple hold on a target. On the
following turn, the attacker can try to infl ict damage by biting. If the victim has an
action between the attacker’s grab and bite, he can try to break free. The system uses
Strength + Brawl – the victim’s Defense to attack, but then Strength + Brawl – the
victim’s Strength to bite for damage. If the attack comes by surprise, the victim’s
Defense does not apply in the initial grab.
If the vampire wishes to bite a foe in combat, he goes about the procedure as normal,
except that his bite causes lethal damage, not bashing. Instead of biting to infl ict
damage, however, the vampire may choose to consume Vitae that turn. In this case,
the vampire infl icts harm caused by blood loss: one point of lethal damage.
A vampire can take a few Vitae without harming a mortal unduly. Taking all the blood
(infl icting points of lethal damage equal to the victim’s Health dots), of course, risks killing
the vessel. Remember that a mortal character reduced to zero Health points goes into a coma
when her last Health box is crossed off. She isn’t actually “bleeding to death,” as the vampire
has already taken all her blood, but the state represents her remaining will to survive. (Note
that this progression affects the Embrace, too. If a vampire waits too long to give some of his
own Vitae to his freshly exsanguinated childe-to-be, that potential fl edgling might die before
the sire is able to curse him with undeath. A Kindred cannot just place Vitae on the lips
of any old corpse and cause it to rise as a vampire. The potential childe must have had all
his blood removed, but be given a taste of Vitae before he’s truly dead and gone.) For more
information on bleeding to death, see p. 212 of the Mind’s Eye Theatre rulebook.
Note that it takes two days for a mortal character to recover from a single point of lethal
damage. A vampire expends a single Vitae to rise each night. Assuming the vampire does
nothing other than rise — that is, his player spends no Vitae to power Disciplines, augment
physical Attributes, etc. — a vampire still depletes a single vessel of Vitae faster than she can
recuperate from him slaking his thirst on her. In other words, even if the vampire takes only
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mind’s chapter eye three: theatre: special requiem rules and systems