Years before the rise of the mighty roman empire, pagan sects dedicated to the Greek god Dionysus thrived. Small cults of vampires worshipped the lord of rebirth as a release from the burdens of undeath. Symbolized in oinos, or wine, and orgy, the cults of Dionysus spread their intoxicating practices throughout eastern europe. In practice, members of the cult of Dionysus would gather at night and debauch themselves with oinos, orgies and other euphoric activities. When the ecstacy rose to fever-pitch, the rites might culminate in castration or even cannabalism.
Any practitioner of the vine of dionysus often refers to himself/herself as a thyrsus (females are occasionally called Maenads...preferably from a safe distance.) These warlocks sometimes wear jewelry or other accoutments with ivy or pinecone motifs as symbols of their dedication.
Methyskein
By making physical contact with a subject, the thyrsus causes him to act as if he were drunk. While intoxicated falls into a slight euphoric episode, including slurred speech and clouded judgement.
Omophagy
According to myth, Dionysus had the abililty to incite animal urges within anyone he pleased. The thyrsus invoking omophagy creates a ravenous hunger in a target, overwhelming all sense of reason and reality. To the victim the only thing that matters is devouring raw flesh and hot blood, and he is not choosy about his potential targets. Once the thaumaturgist makes eye contact with a subject and successfully invokes this power, a target gains the derangement gluttony....Whenever consuming food the subject will gorge himself until physically unable to eat more.....Kindred affected by omophagy not only drain a vessal completely of blood but may also attempt to devour the victims body. Vampires will also frenzy when confronted with the sight, smell or taste of blood when hungry. This effect lasts for the remainder of the night.
Note:: this power does not impart vampires with the ability to digest food---any flesh or food consumed will be immediately vomited forth unless other circumstances prevail.
Hamartia
Far less than Metyskein, Hamartia grants the thyrsus the power to cause extremely dangerous euphoric episode within a target, to the point of delirium, perversity and possibly torpid stupor. Cultists of Dionysus claim to gain superhuman vigor while in a similar state of intoxication on oinos. A characters nature may dictate actions. Some might stand very still and glassy eyed, while others might choose to engage in conjugal relations with the people around them (gender notwithstanding) This power lasts for one scene.
Enthousiasmos
A thyrsus may exude a pheromone into the air all about her person. Those affected fall into a druglike stupor as the empathogenic toxin induces visions of all sorts of ephemereal creatures : fauns chasing nymphs, angels in flight, sprites dancing in the corners of ones eyes, and the like. The pheromone induces a happiness within the affected targets, who are likely to dance around in glee to fictitious music with make believe creatures. A thaumaturge successfully invoking this affects any target within a ten foot radius of herself.
Oinos Aimatos
Many thaumaturges suspect this power is not the original apex of this path, but rather a variation suited to a dionysian cult headed by a vampire passing himself off as an incarnation of the god. When the thyrsus invokes this power her blood takes on the propertys of the potent oinos. Whethor this was intended as a deterrant to diablerists or to drive feeding ghouls into euphoric ecstacy is unknown. For the duration of one scene anyone drinking even in the tinyest drop of the thyrsus blood is affected per enthousiasmos.
The Faux Path
Hello, Goodbye
The thaumaturge has a basic understanding of the magic of falsity, she may cause any one true statement she makes to be perceived as a lie for the duration of the evening. At dawn all kindred affected will be able to make their own judgments about the statement. She cannot make lies appear to be true however.
Disciplinary Identification
One of the primary skills of the deceiver is the ability to recognize when she is being deceived.With sufficient training, the thaumaturge can identify which disciplines are being used in front of her,and with a sufficient explanation or by looking at the results (such as ghouls arm affected by vissitude) can even identify disciplines not directly witnessed. The thaumaturge can identify the discipline used in any situation. Only disciplines may be identified directly, whereas the powers of other supernatural creatures(but not hedge magic) are identified only as" powers belonging to something else".
Note::: a character may not identify a discipline which she is not at least somewhat familiar.
Thaumaturgical Nomenclature
Once the chaff has been seperated from the wheat so to speak, identification of the most versatile discipline of thaumaturgy remains. Despite the frustrated thoughts of some young Tremere, no limits exists to the number of paths a thaumaturge can learn. However, some of the more common elements of thaumaturgy can be identified. A power described as "Thaumaturgy" by discipline identification can be further identified as to the path, power or ritual, or even as true magic, if this is the case. In case of a truly obtuse, unique or unknown path, a result of "unquantified" is not uncommon. Note that if in effect is incorrectly assumed to be thaumaturgy (without using the level two power) the results of this discipline will be incorrect as well. For example:: a kindred who was caught with his hand on fire and is using fortitude to resist damage may be incorrectly identified as using lure of flames.
Ritual Madness
By now, many kindred are aware that most powers and rituals have a limited range. With the public and private transportation options available to most kindred, even the dreaded splinter servant holds a little terror if the victim can stave off his attacker for a mere minute. A clever thaumaturge can use this knowledge against her enemies. Using this power any thaumaturgical effect a vampire extemporizes can be modified to supply only physical sensation but no actual effect. For example:: a warlock may cause a kindred approaching him to feel "vague discomfort and uneasiness" with no explanation, though a successful aura perception might discover sparkles indicative of any other magickal effect. Likewise, a vampire may "engage the vessal of non-transference" which causes another kindred to feel a cold shiver if she touches a certain object. The much vaunted "ward verses foe" causes an individual to feel as though he is approaching a ward designed against his creature type....whether lupine, ghoul, mortal, ghost or kindred. A cagey kindred can even claim "next time itll be the real thing!" regardless of his or her true powers. This is an uncommonly versatile path power, but its effects are always mental and psychosomatic in nature.
Sanguinary Affection
Once a careful study has been made of various disciplines, the thaumaturge can then seek to duplicate the outward effect upon his own self.
For example:: a Tremeres hands may seem to grow claws, he can make others seem to bow to his whim, or his hands may crackle with the lambent fires of an unmastered but familiar path. Of course his nails are merely long and cause no damage beyond normal, the patsy was going to do what the vampire said anyways, and his hands couldnt light a cigarette!!
Biothaumaturgy
(The powers of this path take one week per level to complete at levels 1 and 2 and one month per level at levels 3 thru 5--- must have laboratory for experiments)
Thaumaturgical Forensics
may take tissue sample from living or dead creatures...can determine gender, clan, trace of diablerie. age, generation etc...but cannot tell if subject killed an individual or where their trove of personal belongings are.
Thaumaturgical Surgery
even the most grievious wounds may heal more quickly if aided by this sorcerous art. Aggravated damage becomes lethal, lethal damage becomes bashing , and bashing damage becomes easily slept off fatigue....the actual surgery time does not take the two weeks, but rather the complete recooperation after.
Lesser Animation
The thaumaturge mystically endows a dead lifeform with magical energy and imparts to it a rudimentary set of instructions...this creation carries out the instructions to the letter...often used to populate their havens with deathless guard dogs and other quirky pets....this can affect plants and animals..but nothing more than a single dog or tree per use. The creation may be given one sentence commands which it will fulfill until destroyed... creatures created in this way turn to dust in the sunlight and suffer double the damage in a fire.
Greater Animation
Human corpses and larger animals may be given the spark of life with this power....this power reanimates the corpse- it does not reunite the body with the spirit....the subject would not retain any of their former characteristics, and is subject to the same traits as the lesser animation.
Cognizant Construction
This power bestows a dead creature animated thru one of the lesser powers of this path with a semblance of the intelligence it had in life. Although this power gives an animation a base intelligence..the creature nonetheless still serves the orders it is given by its creator.
The Focused Mind
Readiness
This discipline makes the caster able to gain a quicker understanding on a predicament. Enhanced lucidity enlightens the caster allowing better reactions to changing situations and increased cleverness...can only be used on oneself.
Centering
By invoking this power the thaumaturge causes a sudden, calmness in the subject by whispering soothing words to him/her. While under this serenity the target is able to better focus on tasks at hand, able to ignore distractions and annoyances including grave bodily harm. Magi in fear of frenzy often use this on themselves to achieve a state of tranquility as emotions are stifled. This is usable on any subject within earshot of the thaumaturge...might also be useful on lupines to calm them from their murderous rampages.
One-Tracked Mind
By extending his powers to other individuals the thaumaturge is able to fixate the subject on one action. The single-mindedness of the target is such that they ignore everything else that occurs around them. May affect anyone who can hear the thaumaturge.
Dual Thought
This discipline expands the thaumaturges concentration to the point that concentration on two goals is possible...Allows the caster to take an extra action during his turn...this is restricted to mental actions be it the use of disciplines...or the contemplation of some problem.
Perfect Clarity
Brings about a Zen-like moment or unimpeded insight for the thaumaturge. Pure focus is achieved...thought and action become one, and complete serenity of mind descends upon the kindred magus. This lucidity protects the thaumaturge from influence both internal and external...even the beast within is unable to rage forth. The kindred is immune to frenzy and Rotschreck from all sources--even by supernatural means.
