Post by Ashurr on Jun 1, 2008 19:32:49 GMT -5
Changing the body isn’t enough, however. The Coils
of the Dragon are alterations in the Kindred’s metaphysical
as well as physical makeup. To wit, the vampire
must be ready to change herself on a mental and
spiritual level as well.
Changing the mind isn’t normally difficult, especially
for neonates. The vampire begins by learning a new skill,
such as a musical instrument or proficiency in a new
weapon. This puts the Kindred in the right frame of mind
to learn the Coils, and usually has some practical applicability
as well — the Ordo Dracul hates to waste time.
Spiritual change is much harder. The Ordo Dracul
spends a great deal of energy teaching young Dragons to
learn to perceive spiritual changes, rather than enact
them. This is because a spiritual change alters one’s entire
outlook on unlife, which is often so jarring that the
vampire loses progress toward the chrysalis rather than
gaining it. Learning to sense ghosts, honing control of
the Predator’s Taint, and developing Disciplines such as
Dominate, Majesty and Nightmare are all accepted
methods of preparing one’s self spiritually for the Coils.
A third method of inducing change, normally used only
for students having an extraordinarily difficult time with
the concepts involved, is deliberately causing a drop in
Humanity. Killing a mortal is enough for most neonates,
but then, neonates don’t normally require this kind of
“assistance” because their proximity to their mortal lives
mean that they remember the comparative mutability of
that state. Kindred who come to the Ordo Dracul later in
their unlives are more likely to require this kind of shock
to their systems, but by that time, Humanity has usually
dropped to a level that requires a truly horrific act.
of the Dragon are alterations in the Kindred’s metaphysical
as well as physical makeup. To wit, the vampire
must be ready to change herself on a mental and
spiritual level as well.
Changing the mind isn’t normally difficult, especially
for neonates. The vampire begins by learning a new skill,
such as a musical instrument or proficiency in a new
weapon. This puts the Kindred in the right frame of mind
to learn the Coils, and usually has some practical applicability
as well — the Ordo Dracul hates to waste time.
Spiritual change is much harder. The Ordo Dracul
spends a great deal of energy teaching young Dragons to
learn to perceive spiritual changes, rather than enact
them. This is because a spiritual change alters one’s entire
outlook on unlife, which is often so jarring that the
vampire loses progress toward the chrysalis rather than
gaining it. Learning to sense ghosts, honing control of
the Predator’s Taint, and developing Disciplines such as
Dominate, Majesty and Nightmare are all accepted
methods of preparing one’s self spiritually for the Coils.
A third method of inducing change, normally used only
for students having an extraordinarily difficult time with
the concepts involved, is deliberately causing a drop in
Humanity. Killing a mortal is enough for most neonates,
but then, neonates don’t normally require this kind of
“assistance” because their proximity to their mortal lives
mean that they remember the comparative mutability of
that state. Kindred who come to the Ordo Dracul later in
their unlives are more likely to require this kind of shock
to their systems, but by that time, Humanity has usually
dropped to a level that requires a truly horrific act.