Apparitionem (WoD)

Discipline Description

Apparitionem is the Clan Senya discipline. The name being the accusative singular of the latin word appāritiō meaning appearance and, as the name implies, revolves around the Senya's ability to alter their appearance and form. Up until the dark ages, it was known as Εμφάνιση (Εmfánisi) and the different powers likewise had Greek titles. When Senya Lorekeepers began actually studying the power in detail during the Dark Ages after the first Grand Conclave, Latin was the more common scholarly language. Over time, as the class expanded during the late Byzantine Empire and Middle Ages, into the Renaissance era, the original Greek name for the Discipline and its powers fell out of favour as Parents preferred using the more common Latin language for traditional usage, and the Greek ones for formal usage, at best. In the modern nights when referring to non-speakers of Latin, including Adoptees who may not have learnt the classical languages, English language versions of the name are commonly used instead. In some respects, the approximate age of a Senya can be determined simply by noting whether they use the original Greek or Latin name for the Discipline and its powers.

At lower levels, this grants the Senya the ability to alter aspects of their appearance and form such as hair and skin colouration, voice, and at proficient levels even change the form completely into any style or gender the Senya desires. At the higher levels of mastery, it allows more supernatural changes, boosting the natural kindred ability to use vitae for healing and physical empowerment to make even more dramatic changes to enhance the form or regenerate damage.

Elder Senya, with true mastery of the discipline, are said to be able to transform themselves for even more powerful supernatural effects such as taking bestial and non-human forms; or affect others through their appearance such as the famed Gorgons of Greek mythology, whose appearance could turn onlookers to stone.

Tremere attempt to raise alarm by suggesting a theoretical link between Apparitionem and the Clan Tzimisce discipline of Vicissitude; and although Senya Lorekeepers admit there is some similarity in the fact that both allow alteration of the form at a metaphysical level, Apparitionem is about modifying the overall form within natural or prodigious transmutations, whilst Vicissitude is about unnatural physical transmutations. Senya scholars instead claim there more similarity between Apparitionem and the Gangrel discipline of Protean, except whilst Protean focuses on animal transmutations, Apparitionem focuses on human form transmutations. This argument is given weight by the fact that there is notable overlap between elder generation mastery of Protean and Apparitionem, with similar or relatable powers - Protean allowing supernatural modifications to the form that would typically be more thematically appropriate in Apparitionem; whilst Apparitionem masters are able to take animal and mythical beast forms that thematically are more appropriate for Protean. Noddist scholars also point out that according to the Book of Nod, the antediluvian founders of both Clan Gangrel and Senya were embraced by Zillah, Caine's wife and one of the second generation - and therefore it is feasible that both disciplines are distilled versions of an original discipline Zillah may have had (and presumably died with her) much as it is claimed by the True Brujah that Celerity is a distilled version of their Temporis clan discipline.

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Permanency

When a Kindred uses Apparitionem to alter herself, mortals, ghouls, and vampires of higher Generation, the effects of the power are permanent; vampires of equal or lower Generation can choose to heal the effects of Apparitionem as though they were aggravated wounds. A wielder of Apparitionem can always reshape her own form. Nosferatu always “heal” Apparitionem alterations, at least the ones that make them better-looking. The ancient curse of the Clan may not be circumvented through Apparitionem. The same applies to permanent physical deformities from the Gangrel Clan weakness.

Optional Rule: Body Crafts

Apparitionem requires expansive knowledge of the human body, the kind usually only available through Medicine. The Children of the Dark, not particularly given to the art of healing, have developed an alternative: Body Crafts. Body Crafts is a unique Skill (not to be confused with the more generalized Crafts Skill) that combines knowledge of vivisection, anatomy, taxidermy, scarification, tanning, and sculpting into a new kind of artisan Ability. Its primary purpose is to augment the application of Apparitionem.

• Sine Qua Non (Without Which, Nothing)

Dark Ages Name: Χωρίς Tίποτα, Tίποτα (Chorís Típota, Típota)

At this stage the character learns the essentials of understanding forms, and how to alter them. She is capable of making minor alterations such as height, build, voice, facial features, and skin tone, among other things colouration and pigmentation, and slightly stretch or contract skin and hair, but not alter her structure in a drastic enough way to be completely unrecognisable to those that know her, or be able to mimic others.

Within these limitations, the control can be very detailed. A character could grant herself different colour eyes, imitate a “bikini tan”, turn her hair a different colour (even natural colour with different colour highlights); darken or lighten skin tone to imitate tan complexion or a different ethnicity, and/or stretch or contract skin wrinkles to appear a few years younger or older. She can also make herself look up to a foot (30 cm) taller or shorter, and older or younger (e.g. a Senya embraced as a teen could look like an old version of themselves). This power also allows characters on Paths of Enlightenment to use the Blush of Life.

Learning about how the form works and changes also allows the character to be able to recognise if others have been altered in any way – e.g. cosmetic surgery, tattoos, piercings, shape-changing disciplines such as Protean, Vicissitude, Apparitionem or possibly recognise shapeshifters such as Lupines.

System: The character must spend a blood point for each body part to be changed, then roll Intelligence+Medicine (difficulty 6) whilst taking a symbolic physical action to make the change, such as pulling her hair to make it longer.

The ability to sense body alterations requires staring at the subject for a few seconds and making a Perception+Awareness (difficulty 8) roll. Each success indicates how she sees and understands as indicated by the table below. This can be an extended action, taking more time to gain more successes. A failure yields no prevailing impression and ends the current examination. A botch provides false or erroneous information.

1 success	Can sense if body alterations have been made, and the general scope of change (e.g. identify tattoos or cosmetic surgery to the face, but not precisely what changes).
2 successes	Can distinguish changes in detail (e.g. identify specific cosmetic surgery, piercings or tattoos in detail, such as “Prince Albert piercing” and “rose tattoo on left butt cheek”) and if the changes were made by supernatural means (but not the power used).
3 successes	Can recognise if the subject is able to modify their form (e.g. Lupine, Vicissitude, Protean) but not source of power (i.e. know they can change, but not how).
4 successes	Can also identify the subject’s shapeshifting or body crafting capabilities, identifying not just that they are/have been shapeshifted.
5 successes	Gain ability to identify the target in the future with a single success of this power, regardless of form or appearance currently held.

This ability cannot be used against those concealed with Obfuscate, such as to penetrate the Mask of a Thousand Faces Obfuscate power, as Obfuscate functions by clouding the mind and perceptions, whilst this power identifies only the metaphysical changes to the body. Therefore, a Senya affected by Obfuscate who uses this power would see what their mind believes they see – the effects of Obfuscate. Characters can use this power over time on a subject and on achieving 10 extended successes, can familiarise themselves with that form for future identification regardless of form; e.g. recognise a wolf they see as being a Gangrel ally of theirs, or recognise a Senya phantom they know who is masquerading as a Sabbat.  

•• Regeneratio (Regeneration)

Dark Ages Name: Αναγέννηση (Anagénnisi)

Senya warriors are renown for their durability, and Regeneration is a reason for that. Not really a power unto itself, Regeneration allows a character to use her ability to control her form to enhance her ability to repair damage to herself. The character can both heal faster and regenerate lost limbs – although though it cannot regenerate damage that causes Final Death (such as regrowing a new head after decapitation) or cure supernatural infections or diseases (although it can repair the damage caused by these sources).

System: The character can heal herself during combat without requiring the usual turn of concentration, and so healing does not consume the character’s combat turn. Any blood points spent healing counts against the normal per-turn blood expenditure limit (e.g. if also using a discipline that requires the expenditure of vitae such as Celerity). Out of combat, the character can instead spend a blood point and make a Wits + Medicine (difficulty 8) roll. Each success heals one level of lethal or bashing damage, although each would level requires one minute of uninterrupted work.

Finally, the character is able to heal a number of aggravated damage levels per day equal to her Apparitionem level without requiring the expenditure of Willpower points. This means that most Senya can heal 2-5 aggravated damage per day, and elder Senya even greater levels of aggravated damage, before requiring the expenditure of Willpower. This alone enables Senya kindred to recover from aggravated wounds far faster than other kindred whilst still retaining their Willpower intact.

••• Mutare Forma (Alter Form)

Dark Ages Name: Αλλάξτε τη φόρμα (Alláxte ti fórma)

he character’s ability to alter his own form is complete and can now alter the structure and makeup of his body; altering and compressing or expanding flesh and bone, size, shape and structure and even changing their gender. This allows the character to change his form into that of any other form he can envision, as long as it falls within the range of human possibility. Use of this power also allows changing of their vocal cords so they can sound different, such as disguising their voice, or sounding like a different person or gender.

System: Spend a blood point for each body part to be changed, then roll Intelligence+Medicine to change form (difficulty 6). This action requires one turn per body part to be changed as well as concentration and symbolic actions to your form to change (such as pulling on earlobes to change shape) as though “repainting” their form. This action is more of a focus tool than actual physical manipulation. A failed roll results in a failed attempt and the blood spent is lost. A botch on this check, however, causes the Senya to take one level of lethal damage from the pain, as well as the failure to make the change, and loss of any blood spent.

If using this power to mimic another, a Perception+Medicine roll (difficulty 8) is required and five successes for a flawless copy; fewer successes leave minute (or not-so-minute) flaws. Increasing one’s Appearance Trait has a difficulty of 9, and the vampire must spend an additional blood point for each dot of Appearance increased beyond their natural total. A botch permanently reduces the Attribute by one.

•••• Corpus Detritus (Sculpt Body)

Dark Ages Name: Mορφή Γλυπτικής (Morfé Glyptikís)

The Senya is no longer limited to simply modifying the form within the boundaries of their baseline form but is now able to remould flesh and muscle with the use of vitae to change their physical capabilities (or that of others) permanently, make cosmetic changes beyond the mortal norm, and be able to feign mortality easily.

System: This power improves a vampire’s ability with Alter Form to allow three improvements/abilities:

• The vampire can use the Blush of Life as though she had humanity 10 in order to determine its effectiveness. That is, Blush of life makes her appear as a mortal in good health, allows her to heal superficial damage as though mortal, in addition to vampiric mending, have and enjoy sexual intercourse as if mortal, have tears and sweat that appear normal for mortals, and allows her to taste, eat, and enjoy food and drink as if mortal for the scene before she must heave it back out. The blood point cost of using Blush of Life does not change, only its effectiveness.
• The vampire can now make detailed alterations to colouration such as skin, eyes or hair, beyond the normal human scope. This can be used to grant violet eyes, detailed tattoos or green hair with purple highlights. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this can be used to gain circumstance bonuses, such as chameleon-like camouflage (-1 difficulty to stealth checks in an appropriate environment) or making the whole body appear like menacing tattoos or lizard-like (-1 difficulty to intimidate checks). This application of this power has no cost beyond the normal for use of Alter Form.
• Finally, the vampire is now able to reassign physical attributes. For example, a vampire that is physically weak but agile with Strength 1, Dexterity 5, Stamina 2 could reshuffle the attributes to Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, or any other combination they desire. This costs one blood if affecting two attributes, or two blood points if all three are affected.

••••• Reicio Perniciosa (Defy Bane)

Dark Ages Name: Προκαλώ Συμφορά (Prokaló Symforá)

By preparing themselves with an expenditure of blood, the Senya can empower themselves to be temporarily resistant to fire and sunlight as well as other grievous wounds that would threaten them with Final Death. With this power, Senya may briefly walk in brightest sunlight without fear, the sunlight searing his Blood and not his flesh, or using their blood to resist grievous wounds as they are inflicted.

System: The vampire may reflexively spend one blood point whenever the vampire is exposed to sunlight. Until the vampire exhausts his blood pool, he need not make Rötschreck rolls. Such damage is treated as damage dice pool and rolled, rather than applied as automatic damage, and can be soaked normally if the vampire also has Fortitude. Each level of damage taken burns one point of the vampire’s blood pool rather than inflicting actual wounds; once the vampire runs out of blood, he suffers damage normally and must fear Rötschreck as normal.

The vampire may also reflexively spend one blood point whenever struck by an attack dealing aggravated damage, and roll Wits+Medicine (Difficulty 6). For the remainder of the scene, each success gained converts a level of aggravated damage taken into bashing damage. This damage, although bashing, cannot be healed for the rest of the scene, and this power can only be employed for this purpose once per scene.