Rites of Denial

Rites of Denial is the Endowment of the hunter conspiracy Cainite Heresy in Hunter: The Vigil.

Cainite rituals take a fairly simple form, but one that's odd enough that it probably should merit question, even though it doesn't. Every Cainite carries around a small glass phial of blood taken from other Cainites, enough to fill the small vessel. Most hang the phial around the neck or even the wrist, though some choose to protect the phials more stridently (even going so far to keep the glass phial in a small metal lockbox that can sit in one's coat pocket or glove-box).

Every Rite of Denial demands use of this blood -- it might be smeared on a lead pipe, drawn upon a wall (usually in the form of the Cainites' own sigil), or upended into the mouth so it can be spat out. No Cainite magic fails to make use of the collected blood. Usually the strange rituals demand other actions be taken, too -- a line of cakey sea salt drawn across a doorway, a bulb of garlic crushed beneath a bootheel, or a splinter of wood shimmied into the skin of the palm.

Think of it like an equation. In a simple equation, A + B = C, and the Rites of Denial are very much like that. Use the blood in just such a way, perform the other actions demanded with the reagents demanded, and a result occurs. No faith is necessary (though one must certainly concentrate and commit to the action, but Cainites are nothing if not committed). No prayer, no entreaties to distant powers. Some religious Cainites might evoke such additional details when casting one of the Rites of Denial, but it's by no means necessary. A plus B equals C. As such, each Rite requires an expenditure of one unit of Willpower and a designated amount of thimbles of blood per ritual.

1-Thimble Rites

• Behold: A sigil painted on the Hunter's forehead reveals vampires as what they are, except those using Stealth skills or Dread Powers to hide themselves.
• Evade: The Cainite smears a line of blood on the ground with her thumb, and then steps over it, gaining an increase in speed for the remainder of the scene.
• Reflect: The Cainite whispers the question, "Who is Cain?" and draws the evil eye over one of her own eyes in blood withdrawn from the phial. Before the blood dries, she must fleck it with kohl (ground galena), mascara, coal dust, or some other kind of black dirt or makeup. For a time, she is protected against some of the Dread Powers of the vampire.
• Unmask: The Cainite daubs blood from the phial onto his own eyelids. The first vampire the Cainite looks upon is suddenly revealed to the world: The creature shows up perfectly in media and in mirrors (so perfectly, in fact, the creature stands out). In addition -- and to some Cainites, more importantly -- those nearby the vampire suddenly suffer an inexplicable fear of the creature, unconsciously recognizing it as a walking corpse. They do not instantly panic, but most humans (with Willpower of 5 or below) will hurry away with a steady step.

2-Thimble Rites

• Aggravate: Inscribed Cainite sigil on a weapon, causing it to vibrate and have a bonus in damage to vampires and their minions for the remainder of the scene.
• Deny: A line of sea salt and blood left upon the threshold of a door can prevent a vampire from entering through that doorway unless invited in by the Cainite.
• Mark: The Cainite lets a coin soak in phial's blood for up to one hour. Then, the Cainite must hold the coin and the blood in his mouth. His hand and eyes work with sudden determination and concentration when attempting to waylay a vampire.
• Obligate: A rusted nail must be made slick with blood from the phial. When the nail is placed within the borders of the footprint, the vampire -- wherever he may be at the time -- is held in place, so long as the nail is placed before one hour has passed since the footprint was first made.
• Prohibit: The Cainite drizzles some of the phial's blood on each wrist of one she hopes to protect -- then smears each into a forbidding 'x' upon the tender skin. She must ask the target a question, the question: "Who is Cain?" After which, the blood within the target grows colder, as if a saline rush runs suddenly through the veins. Vampires will find no sustenance from that blood, now, and in fact it will do the creature harm.

3-Thimble Rites

• Invoke: The Cainite must hold some of the phial blood in his mouth and then spit it over the folkloric apotrope, such as garlic, holy water, silver, poppy seeds, or wild roses. For a time, the object will repel vampires, and even harm them if it comes in contact with them.
• Pilfer: Performing this rite demands that the Cainite put several drops of the phial's blood into her own ears before asking this question of the vampire: "What do you know?" Doing so will allow the Cainite to interrogate vampires to their hidden knowledge, whether spoken allowed or simply let into the mind of the Cainite telepathically.

4-Thimble Rites

• Befoul: Marking each of the walls in a location, the area becomes one in which vampires cannot slumber, use Dread Powers, or spend Willpower.

5-Thimble Rites

• Question: Those who know this ritual can poison the mind of a vampire with the question "Who is Cain?" as easily as a vampire can poison the mind of an unwitting mortal. The Cainite must paint her tongue and teeth with the blood one hour before she hopes to ask the question of a monster, and must also chew a sprig or leaf of mint. The question drives the vampire mad, creating a derangement of the Cainite's choice for one month per dot of the Cainite's prowess in the rites.

References

• HTV: Night Stalkers, p. 149 -156