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

A Vitae is spent to heal one lethal wound. The rightmost one is erased, and all injuries to its right
shift left one square to “close ranks.” Your character’s Health chart therefore looks like this:
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mind’s chapter eye three: theatre: special requiem rules and systems
OOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Now, let’s say you spend fi ve Vitae over the course of two nights for your character to
recover from one aggravated wound. His rightmost aggravated injury is erased and all to the
right of it shift to the left, like so:
OOOOOOOOOOOO
OTHER SOURCES OF DAMAGE
Now and then, characters encounter other things that can damage or debilitate them. The
developed world abounds in toxic and corrosive chemicals, from industrial acids to household
cleaners. Kindred might encounter electrical shock, either through lightning strikes,
carelessness with machinery or electric fences. Characters might even deliberately introduce
mind-altering drugs into their bodies. These hazards and others require special rules, chiefl y
to distinguish their effects on Kindred from their effects on mortals.
CHEMICALS, DRUGS AND POISONS
Most venoms and toxic chemicals do not harm the Kindred at all. Many snake venoms form a
notable exception. Snake venoms often dissolve blood cells and body tissues. They not only infl ict
points of damage, they destroy Vitae, usually one Vitae per point of damage. Cobra venom also
causes heart spasms. Storytellers can treat snake venom as infl icting lethal damage within several
minutes of a bite. The amount of damage depends on the snake, but many cobras and African
vipers routinely kill mortals with a single bite. Their blood-destroying venom should not infl ict
quite as much damage to Kindred (mortals are more fragile, what with their need for a metabolism),
but enough to make a snakebite a bad experience. Kindred, like kine, seldom encounter
deadly serpents in modern cities, but it might happen under various unusual circumstances. A
tyrannical Prince might keep a terrarium of vipers for their sheer intimidation value.
Acids and other corrosive chemicals damage Kindred as easily as they damage kine. They typically
infl ict points of lethal damage. The amount of damage depends on the corrosiveness of the
chemical and the quantity and length of exposure. Quicklime, for instance, burns away bodies
rather slowly, but thoroughly, and it’s available cheaply in large quantities. One lethal point
every few turns adequately represents a large exposure to most corrosive industrial chemicals.
Drugs such as alcohol, marijuana and heroin affect Kindred just as they do mortals. A
Kindred who wants to use a drug can either feed on an intoxicated mortal, or expend a Vitae
to absorb the drug directly and suffuse it throughout his body. This capability puzzles some
scientifi cally minded Kindred. How can a drug affect the undead when they don’t have a
metabolism? Especially when medications have no effect? The Lancea Sanctum and the Circle
of the Crone supply the simple, rather obvious answer: It’s magic.
Lancea Sanctum theologians explain in more detail. They say that God wants the Childer
of Longinus to suffer the same temptations of gluttonous self-indulgence and addiction that
mortals feel. The Kindred may therefore damn themselves by choice, as well as by the curse
of undeath. Praise God for His terrible justice!