Post by Ashurr on Jun 1, 2008 19:34:02 GMT -5
Dracula based his initial delving into the Coils (if
the Rites are accurate) on mortal alchemy and theosophical
teaching. Other Dragons, over the centuries, have developed other methods that work equally well.
A student might receive pages of Latin text to memorize
and recite, books full of chemical formulae that
she must learn to prepare or a series of movements
resembling martial arts kata. Whatever the exact nature
of these rituals, they are designed to unlock the
undead body’s potential, to loosen the vampire’s soul
from its earthly moorings for a few seconds. A formula
might be ingested along with a dose of Vitae or
the Latin phrases repeated to a fever pitch, but whatever
the form of the ritual, it must become second
nature to the Kindred. No mistakes are possible if the
vampire is to successfully advance her understanding
of the Coils.
The exact nature of the rituals varies depending on
which of the Coils the vampire is attempting to learn,
and on the age and bent of that vampire’s mentor. Mentors
Embraced prior to the 1960s or so favor harsher
methods of preparing the student to experience chrysalis,
while more recent Dragons (what few there are) favor
“softer” methods such as psychoanalysis and hypnosis.
A few suggestions and examples of these rituals follow,
listed by Coil:
Coil of Banes: Trials by fire or sunlight, day-long
vigils, hours spent staring into bright lights, beatings
with metal clubs (to facilitate development of Resilience
Discipline), consuming chemical mixtures containing
gasoline, meditation in chambers filled with
flammable gas, psychoanalysis involving free association
and desensitization therapy, ritual branding or
scarification (the pupil is advised to never heal these
scars), walking on coals.
Coil of the Beast: Ritual combat (more recently, martial
arts has come into vogue as a training method),
sensory deprivation, fasting followed by “tempting the
Beast” with fresh blood, primal scream, hunting mortal
prey through a forest, rigid mathematical formulae
or precise balancing of dangerous chemicals (fosters
attention to detail and the ability to shut out distraction),
lobotomy (three nails are driven into the
vampire’s skull, dislodging the brain; this damage can
be healed normally, but is meant to knock the Beast
loose from the conscious mind).
Coil of Blood: Periods of fasting, entire weeks spent
in the blush of health, training in any Discipline that
requires Vitae expenditure, feeding to capacity and
beyond for several nights at a time, learning to bleed
on command (first from a cut, then from an orifice,
finally from any point on the body), learning to differentiate
between blood sources (animal and mortal,
male and female, mortals of differing races or habits,
etc.), study of hematology and virology as well as
the mystical and religious properties of blood, religious
service involving blood (including Communion),
sex with mortals.
Coil of the Soul: Shunning contact with Kindred for
a certain amount of time, feeding only on animals, deliberate
acts to lower Humanity (only for young or especially
devout Kindred), crucifixion, psychoanalysis
(Freudian or Jungian, often coupled with dream interpretation),
periods of torpor induced by staking, sensory
deprivation, deliberate manipulation of memory via the
Dominate Discipline or emotions through Majesty (assumes
an extraordinary relationship between mentor and
student, or an extremely gullible pupil), immersion in a
closed mortal circle (sometimes a Dragon takes up residence
in a large house where she can avoid notice, just
to watch the inhabitants).
the Rites are accurate) on mortal alchemy and theosophical
teaching. Other Dragons, over the centuries, have developed other methods that work equally well.
A student might receive pages of Latin text to memorize
and recite, books full of chemical formulae that
she must learn to prepare or a series of movements
resembling martial arts kata. Whatever the exact nature
of these rituals, they are designed to unlock the
undead body’s potential, to loosen the vampire’s soul
from its earthly moorings for a few seconds. A formula
might be ingested along with a dose of Vitae or
the Latin phrases repeated to a fever pitch, but whatever
the form of the ritual, it must become second
nature to the Kindred. No mistakes are possible if the
vampire is to successfully advance her understanding
of the Coils.
The exact nature of the rituals varies depending on
which of the Coils the vampire is attempting to learn,
and on the age and bent of that vampire’s mentor. Mentors
Embraced prior to the 1960s or so favor harsher
methods of preparing the student to experience chrysalis,
while more recent Dragons (what few there are) favor
“softer” methods such as psychoanalysis and hypnosis.
A few suggestions and examples of these rituals follow,
listed by Coil:
Coil of Banes: Trials by fire or sunlight, day-long
vigils, hours spent staring into bright lights, beatings
with metal clubs (to facilitate development of Resilience
Discipline), consuming chemical mixtures containing
gasoline, meditation in chambers filled with
flammable gas, psychoanalysis involving free association
and desensitization therapy, ritual branding or
scarification (the pupil is advised to never heal these
scars), walking on coals.
Coil of the Beast: Ritual combat (more recently, martial
arts has come into vogue as a training method),
sensory deprivation, fasting followed by “tempting the
Beast” with fresh blood, primal scream, hunting mortal
prey through a forest, rigid mathematical formulae
or precise balancing of dangerous chemicals (fosters
attention to detail and the ability to shut out distraction),
lobotomy (three nails are driven into the
vampire’s skull, dislodging the brain; this damage can
be healed normally, but is meant to knock the Beast
loose from the conscious mind).
Coil of Blood: Periods of fasting, entire weeks spent
in the blush of health, training in any Discipline that
requires Vitae expenditure, feeding to capacity and
beyond for several nights at a time, learning to bleed
on command (first from a cut, then from an orifice,
finally from any point on the body), learning to differentiate
between blood sources (animal and mortal,
male and female, mortals of differing races or habits,
etc.), study of hematology and virology as well as
the mystical and religious properties of blood, religious
service involving blood (including Communion),
sex with mortals.
Coil of the Soul: Shunning contact with Kindred for
a certain amount of time, feeding only on animals, deliberate
acts to lower Humanity (only for young or especially
devout Kindred), crucifixion, psychoanalysis
(Freudian or Jungian, often coupled with dream interpretation),
periods of torpor induced by staking, sensory
deprivation, deliberate manipulation of memory via the
Dominate Discipline or emotions through Majesty (assumes
an extraordinary relationship between mentor and
student, or an extremely gullible pupil), immersion in a
closed mortal circle (sometimes a Dragon takes up residence
in a large house where she can avoid notice, just
to watch the inhabitants).