VII - RoseRed

lines slowly shifting like the beds of rivers, the world’s
mystical “waterways” eroded or flooded as time goes on.
These facts are enough for a Dragon to base an unlife’s
work. If the shifts in the world’s mystical energies happen
according to a grand plan, where does that plan end? Can
it be subverted, or is God truly omnipotent? Or perhaps
He means for the Ordo Dracul to change His designs, and
that is the test upon which transcendence hinges.
Another possibility is that Wyrm’s Nests change because
of isolated incidents, but do not change in any
overarcing pattern. A murder here, a war there, and this
sort of mystical geology shapes the world in ways imperceptible
to humanity. Then again, it could be argued that
humanity shapes the flow of magic by their actions. In
either case, the Ordo Dracul recognizes that one crucial
element could be added to the mix, and that element could
literally change everything. That element is purpose.
God might have a purpose, but no one on Earth truly
understands it. Humanity certainly doesn’t have a collective
purpose. The Ordo Dracul does, however, and if
the covenant could find a way to wash mystical energy
into one direction, perhaps they could create a grand
crucible in which all of the Kindred of the world (or,
more likely, a select few) could be reborn.
Is this the only dream of the Dragon elders? No. But
upon meeting with the Kogaions, young Dragons are
often introduced to the notion. Kindred who spend their
unlives studying mystical cartography can and do go mad
trying to break God’s code or trying to work out a way to
control it.
Meanwhile, more pragmatic Kindred have concrete
uses for Wyrm’s Nests.
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Wyrm’s Nests that foster change see the most aggressive
defense from the covenant. While the Ordo Dracul
doesn’t risk valuable Guardians trying to secure Wyrm’s
Nests in enemy territory as a matter of policy, a crucible is
another matter. These embodiments of mystical change
are holy sites to the Ordo Dracul, not that it would ever
admit this. But normally, only a few vampires at a time
can draw on a crucible’s energy, and this means that some
of the most vicious backstabbing, infighting and politicking
in the covenant takes place over securing time to study
and practice the Coils of the Dragon at a crucible.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact that crucibles,
by their very nature, are the least stable of Wyrm’s Nests.
While haunts and fontal nests can retain their mystical
properties for decades, or even longer if handled carefully,
crucibles move, shift focus or “burn out” within a
matter of years. If the Ordo Dracul does not manage its
use of a crucible carefully (and it rarely does), this time
can fall to months or even weeks.
All of that said, crucibles are invaluable resources in
studying and mastering the Coils. Exactly what benefit
unlife in the ordo dracul
a crucible provides depends on the Nest in question.
Some suggestions follow:
The Beauty Butcher
This now-abandoned basement served, until recently, as
the base of operations of a back-alley doctor performing
plastic surgery and liposuction. The floor is permanently
stained red from the blood he spilled here. Any Dragon
attempting to learn the Coil of Blood finds his undead body
more receptive to the changes. The player receives a +2
modifier to the Resolve + Occult roll to learn any tier of
the Coil of Blood, if using the optional system put forth on
p. 50. If the Storyteller is not using this system, the player
pays 3 fewer experience points for learning this Coil instead.
To gain these benefits, the character must meditate
in the basement for at least one hour per night for a number
of nights (not necessarily consecutive) equal to the level
of the tier she is trying to learn.
The Summit
High above the city streets, this skyscraper’s rooftop
holds energies of the industry, the boom and decline of
the entire downtown area. A Kindred who meditates
here for the hour before dawn and the hour after dusk
gains bonuses to learn the Coil of Banes (as described
above). Obviously, a vampire courageous enough to attempt
this should have servants or allies willing to transport
him safely to and from these meditations.
The Circle of the Forsaken
The ways of the werewolves are, for the most part,
inscrutable to the Kindred. The Ordo Dracul does not
know why these shapeshifters choose to gather in the
concrete riverbed beneath the old bridge, but the Order
does know that, except for occasional meetings, they
seem to avoid the area. After their meetings, though,
the area under the bridge is charged with anger and
bloodlust, and makes for a perfect crucible to hone the
Coil of the Beast. Two or more vampires can gain the
benefits described above when learning this Coil, but
they must engage in a brief combat using no weapons
beyond their own bodies, and must resist frenzy during
this fight.
The Graveyard and the Playground
Due to some extremely strange urban planning, a large
new playground at an area public park sits just across
the street from a cemetery. The cemetery is still in use,
and the energies of grief and loss mingling with the exuberance
of youth and life from the playground have created
a unique crucible on the street dividing them. To
make use of this crucible, a Kindred must spend at least
two hours in both the cemetery and the playground, and
then walk in the middle of the street away from the area.
(The neighborhood sees little traffic at night, but the
vampire is still advised to be careful). Doing so for at
least three nights bestows the aforementioned benefits
for the Coil of the Soul.
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chapter two
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