Occult Artifacts are fetishes that grant supernatural gifts to vampires with an interest in the occult. These items can be wielded by anyone, even those without an affinity for sorcery, but some may overwhelm their users, causing numerous side effects. These effects can range from being unable to activate the artifact’s power to being driven insane or even dying.
Many Kindred view themselves as creatures of magic, supernatural beings brought into existence by forces science can never comprehend. They point to the affinity many Vampires have with occult artifacts to buttress their position. While these items are rare, they do crop up from time to time—usually at the moment they will most aid the kindred (or completely mess them up).
The few items described here are merely a sample of the collection of fetishes, artifacts, and magical paraphernalia surrounding the Kindred. Many Elders are old enough to have firmly believed in such things during their mortal lives, and their experiences since then have hardly convinced them otherwise.
As befits the mystical and uncertain nature of these beliefs, the exact mechanics (if any) of these tools remain largely unknown and vague. Some rumors tell of old weapons pulled out of long-lost crypts by the servants of the Antediluvians. Superstitions also form around modern-day symbols of change.
Description[]
The 21st century saw a decline in the use of occult artifacts among the Kindred, outside the chantries of Clan Tremere. As the Age of Reason flourished, the Age of Magic waned, and artifacts once prized by Kindred were discarded in favor of modern innovation.
However, the destruction wrought by the Second Inquisition, the Beckoning, and the Tremere schism, combined with the Camarilla’s edicts against technology, have led to a resurgence in interest. Many elders’ havens now lie abandoned or in the hands of “trusted” ancillae. Entire Tremere chantries lay fallow, with prized artifacts from older times forgotten, ripe for the taking.
You have gained access to or knowledge of one or more of these powerful occult artifacts. While incredibly valuable, these artifacts are also sought by others and could bring as much danger as they do power. It is unlikely that more than one of these will be available to any given coterie.
Loresheet[]
Rowan Ring: A feared tool of assassination used by elder Banu Haqim or trusted neonates. This simple wooden ring transforms into a wooden stake with a Rouse Check. The stake detaches after use, and the ring falls off the wielder’s finger. A thought reverts the stake back into a ring when not in use. (Detectable as magical via Auspex or other occult means.)- Cloak of Abalone: This cloak, woven by the Tremere, is a weapon against Toreador. Its dull exterior hides a mesmerizing, scintillating lining. Activating the cloak requires a Rouse Check. Targets (Toreador only) are treated as if they rolled a Bestial Failure, afflicted by their Toreador Obsession (see VtM p. 210). Works on only one target at a time and is rare, with one per Tremere Chantry.
- Powder of Rigidity: A concoction of rare herbs, Gangrel blood, and wolfsbane, effective against shapechangers like Lupines or users of Protean. Thrown via an opposed Dexterity + Athletics test. If successful, the target is coated in a viscous purple dust, losing all shape-changing abilities for 4 hours (This artifact has gained popularity after the War in Chicago and Clan Gangrel's defection.)
- Monocle of Clarity: A monocle designed to pierce Obfuscate and reveal spies. Requires a Rouse Check to activate. Roll Wits or Resolve + 3 against the target’s Wits + Obfuscate to pierce their concealment. On Total Failure, the monocle exposes the user to “things” beyond the veil, inflicting 1 aggravated Willpower damage.
- Tapestry of Blood: A massive medieval tapestry once displayed in the Vienna Chantry, now in Chicago. It reveals visions of the user’s fate. To activate, the user makes 5 Rouse Checks and spends a full evening contemplating the tapestry. At dawn, roll Wits or Resolve + Occult: Each success grants greater clarity of a vision tied to the user's destiny (e.g., ancient civilizations, future events). Total Failure unveils unsettling truths, triggering a compulsion (see VtM core book).
References[]
- VTM: Vampire Storytellers Handbook ,p. 97
- VTM: 5th Edition Corebook, p. 385
- VTM: The Chicago Folios, p. 167
- VTM: Gehenna War p. 60
