PATH OF INNER SILENCE (THAUMATURGICAL PATH)



   In understanding our awareness of reality, we appreciate that there is
   no gap between ourselves and our perceptions. To speak of a notion
   such as pain, we must speak of experiencing pain, for this is exactly
   what pain is. However, the practitioners of the Path of Inner Silence
   can achieve a dualism in their perceptions, inserting a gap between
   their experience and themselves while still maintaining both. Wether
   this path actually achieves this end, or simulates the effect in
   another manner is a matter of debate.

   On a practical level, when this path is learned as the inherent path
   of Thaumaturgy, the powers operate as described below. However, if the
   path is learnt seperately, as other paths are, then the Thaumaturge
   must make a Willpower roll and spend a blood point in the usual way
   for the use of Thaumaturgy paths.

   * Silence of the Lower Senses: At this base level, the path enables
   the disjunction of the practitioner from the senses of taste, smell
   and touch. While still fully aware of the perceptions of these senses,
   they are also distant and unconnected, as though belonging to someone
   else. Any effects caused by these sensations are muted by the distance
   the Thaumaturge can achieve.

   System: The Thaumaturge rolls Perception + Meditation (difficulty 8)
   to determine the duration and extent of the effect. Each success
   results in a duration of 1 minute. Each success will also result in a
   difficulty shift or a dice pool alteration for all experiences
   affecting the senses of taste, smell and touch. Thus the difficulty of
   frenzy rolls inspired by the taste or smell of blood, and wound
   penalties from injury are decreased by the number of successes
   attained. Note that these are only two examples of possible effects.
   The storyteller must judge other cases that might arise.

   ** Silence of the Higher Senses: This level of ability is identical to
   the Silence of the Lower Senses power, but affects sight and hearing.

   System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical to
   Silence of the Lower Senses. Possible examples of the use of this
   power are increasing the difficulty of frenzy and rotschrek rolls. An
   interesting effect of this power is the ability to see through a
   number of levels of Obfuscate equal to the successes achieved. The
   dual effect of this power means that while the mind may be fooled, the
   eyes are not.

   *** Silence of Unconsciousness: This level of ability is identical to
   the Silence of the Lower Senses power, but affects the subconscious.

   System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical to
   Silence of the lower Senses. This power primarily effects the
   aquisition and effect of derangements. As derangements are largely
   role played, the storyteller must judge the degree to which the
   derangement can be ignored based on the number of success achieved. In
   the aquisition of derangements from botched humanity, frenzy and
   rotschrek rolls, the successes gained with this power is the number of
   botches that can be ignored, with the removal of all botches resulting
   in no derangements gained. This power can also be used to see through
   Obfuscate in the manner of Silence of the Higher Senses. These two
   effects are cumulative.

   In addition, the user is largely disjointed from his own past. This is
   not in any paradoxical sense, but rather a disjunction of association
   with past events. Such events seem less and less relevant to the
   character, appearing to be the memories of another person. Thus,
   traumatic memories seem less so, and it is even possible to re-capture
   memories lost through trauma. Any other logical consequences of being
   seperated from one's past must be decided by the Storyteller on a case
   by case basis.

   **** Silence of Consciousness: This level of ability is identical to
   the Silence of the Lower Senses power, but somehow affects the
   conscious mind. When asked to explain how the consciousness can be
   seperate from itself, no Assamites can provide an explanation.
   Regardless, the power works quite well.

   System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical to
   Silence of the Lower Senses. Possible examples of the use of this
   power are subtracting successes from any Dominate and Presence used
   against the Thaumaturge, ignoring wound penalties and subtracting the
   difficulties of frenzy and rotschrek rolls. Note that effects which
   double those of earlier powers are cumulative with the use of Silence
   of the Lower and Higher Senses.

   Silence of Consciousness largely reflects a disjunction of the
   character from his present, as Silence of Unconsciousness was a
   disjunction from the past. Once again, the Storytellers judgement on
   individual cases must be exercised.

   ***** Silence of the Spirit: At this ultimate level of the path, the
   Thaumaturge can divorce himself from his soul, and the power that
   animates him as a Kindred. While this power requires the judgement of
   the Storyteller as to the effect of this, there are two particular
   effects that need discussion: the ability of the Kindred to achieve
   Final Death at will, and the effect on humanity.

   System: The roll, difficulty and duration (where applicable) are
   identical to Silence of the Lower Senses. If the Kindred so desires
   and achieves 4 successes on the roll, they can expire on the spot as
   their soul departs the body. Why they may want to do this is not
   immediately obvious, but if they do so want, they can. This power can
   also be used to reduce the difficulty of humanity rolls by an amount
   equal to successes achieved. Interestingly though, frequent use of
   this capacity will of itself reduce humanity. This fact seems to
   suggest that there is not the seperation of soul and self that this
   power is meant to accomplish, although it is still largely effective
   It has been suggested that the logical nature of this power would
   include the disjunction of the subject from his future, in terms of
   association with future events pertaining to the subject. What the
   hell this might mean is unknown, however nothing recognisable of such
   a kind has been observed, although someone once said that you can't
   get much more disjointed from future events than by killing yourself