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Dark Thaumaturgy is the name given to Thaumaturgy learned from demons.

Overview[]

Vampires may make pacts with demons in order to learn the secrets of blood sorcery, just as mortal mages do to learn other infernal magics; they do so at the cost of whatever soul they have left, sealing a bargain which is a quick route to magical power. The price of gaining knowledge varies depending on the demon bartered with, but even vampires generally consider any infernal cost too high. Dark Thaumaturgy is most often practised by the Baali bloodline and members of the Sabbat, especially the Tremere antitribu, who were considered to have created some of the better known Dark Thaumaturgy paths. Since the traitors' destruction, Dark Thaumaturgy has gained popularity in the Sabbat as it is now nearly impossible for the sect's members to learn Thaumaturgy by other means, but even the leaders of the Sword of Caine forbid its practice.

Paths[]

Apart from providing faster and easier access to more common Thaumaturgy paths, Dark Thaumaturgy has paths and rituals of its own which can only be learnt from demons. While all Dark Thaumaturgy relies on an infernal pact, these paths draw on the power of Hell for their effects, and are greatly feared.

Dark Thaumaturgy is always learned at a price, whether this be a generic bargain with the demonic instructor, or a specific affliction relating to the path learnt. Known prices for the paths are listed with their entries below.

Fires of the Inferno[]

Similar to the Lure of Flames, but the sickly green balefire conjured from Hell by this path has only one use: destruction. Like its untainted counterpart, the Path has no distinct levels, instead allowing for the creating of more dangerous fires. Price: Obvious balefire taints the user's aura.[1]

Path of Phobos[]

This path conjures a foe's worst fears to assault him. Price: Horrific nightmares.[2]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Induce Fear: Cause a target to feel paranoid
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Spook: Cause a target to feel dread
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Terrorize: Cause a target to see illusions of their greatest fears
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Fear Plague: Cause a target to live through their most deep-seated phobias
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Leech of Fear: Transubstantiate fear into a vitae-like substance

Taking of the Spirit[]

Saps the willpower of the victim. Instead of distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to strip Willpower for more extended periods of time from a target. Price: Arrogance, manifesting as megalomania.[3]

Path of Pain[]

Mastery over and the infliction of physical pain. Price: Addiction to pain.[4]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet The Numbing: Become desensitized from pain
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Anguish: Cause a target to feel pain simply by standing in its presence
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Shattering: Cause a target's bones to break or its organs to rupture
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Agony Within: Cause a target's blood to transform into hooked tendrils that shred their arteries.
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Hundred Deaths: Cause a target to be covered in a million small deep cuts that constantly heal themselves and reopen.

Path of Pleasure[]

The creation of artificial, addictive pleasure and other drug-like effects. Price: The Beast's desires become harder to resist.[5]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Ecstasy: Make a target feel intense pleasure via touch
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Intrusion: Make a target feel intense pleasure via a telepathic command
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Daisy Chain: Cause your pleasure to spread memetically to several persons
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Deadening: Cause a target to become emotionally desensitized and apathetic
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet The Garden of Earthly Delights: Cause a target to become catatonic from intense pleasure

Path of the Defiler[]

Mystical corruption; possibly an infernal variation of the Path of Corruption. Price: Jealousy, manifesting as possessiveness of the user's victims.[6]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Call the Weakness: Learn enough about a target via conversation to gain an image of their character
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Tainted: Cause a target to feel intense shame about something
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Degradation: Change a target's nature temporarily
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Poisoned Soul: Affect a target's Humanity or Path rating
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Cancerous Blossom: Turn the victim's self-loathing into an actual physical deformity

Path of the Unspoken[]

The Path of the Unspoken deals with the acquisition of knowledge via blasphemous means. Considered a myth by most sorcerers. Price: Memory lapses.[7]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Whispers of the Unborn: Listen to the forces of entropy to gain the answer to one specific question
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Scribing the Unknown: Transcribe any written information
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Shadow Thoughts: Learn more about a target by conversing with their shadow
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Fragments of the Forgotten: Transcribe information from lost works (missing passages are often filled in with misleading informations)
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Forsaken: Cause a target to vanish from the collective consciousness

Path of Pestilence[]

The creation and spread of disease. Price: "The Rot", an ever-worsening disease.[8]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Illness: Cause a target to display symptoms of common illnesses
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Infection: Cause a target's wounds to become infected
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Miasma: Exhale obnoxious gases that blinds targets and infects mortals with diseases
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Parasitic Possession: Take control over a creature riddled by disease
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Vector: Infect a target with a virulent disease

Rego Venalis (Path of Corruption)[]

Mystical corruption. Possibly an earlier variant of the Path of the Defiler or the Path of Corruption.[9]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Night's Terror: Cow a target in fear by showing them images of personal damnation.
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Poison Heart: Give a target inclinations towards their darker urges.
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Fool the Heart's Eye: Assume the appearence of a target's loved ones
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Name the Crime: Suggest a sin that the target has to commit
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Unleash the Dark Soul: Slay a mortal and resurrect its corpse animated by its darkest desires.

Video Nefas (Path of Evil Revelations)[]

The acquisition of secrets of mortals and demons.[10]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet See the Unseen: See into the spirit worlds
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Learn the Heart's Pain: See into a target's soul to learn its innermost regrets and grievances.
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Seize the Moment: Draw upon a specific memory of a target
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Casting the Bones: Use rune-carved bones to see into the future of a target
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Recall the Bloody Deed: Give a target's misdeeds and violence form as a minor demon that will exact retribution from them.

Rego Dolor (Path of Pain)[]

The infliction of physical pain. Note that this is different from the modern Path of Pain.[11]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Strike the Broken Limb: Cause an old wound to reopen
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Phantom Pain: Cause a target illusionary pain
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Curse the Senses: Shun one of the target's senses
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Feed the Corruption: Cause the victim to become infected by maggots and swarmed by flies
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet Eternal Torment: Cause bleeding sores across the target's body that do not heal normally.

Rego Manes (Path of Spirit)[]

The conjuration of demons and the infliction of damage to all kinds of spirits. Rather than distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to summon larger and more powerful demonic entities.[12]

Rego Calatio (Path of Summoning)[]

The summoning and controlling of demons. Rather than distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to have greater control over the demons they have summoned. Price: The area where the summoning has taken place becomes sickened and corrupted; The practitioner suffers horrific nightmares across a number of nights equal to the successes rolled in summoning. These nightmares force the infernalist to lose two blood points upon waking, and two temporary Willpower (if it faile Willpower roll, if roll is botched - nightmares duration is double).[13]

Die Herrschaft des Wyrms (Tyranny of the Wyrm)[]

Developed by a Malkavian cabal in Hesse, this Path draws upon demons in service to a three-headed dragon. Price: When resisted, the powers turn back against the thaumaturge.[14]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Malfean Infection: Corrupt and lessen a person's True Faith
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Bane of the Soul: Graft a "Bane spirit" on a target to become a slave to its worst impulses
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Dissonant Miserere: Infect a target's mind with insane ramblings that attracts demons
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet Feed the Wyrm: Cause a target intense pain that can only be alleviated by pledging themselves to the Wyrm
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bullet House the Maeljin: Become temporarily possessed by an aspect of a Maeljin

Rituals, Wards and Pacts[]

  • Level One: Aport Object: Allows one to enchant an object.
  • Level One: Spectral Mask: Covers the caster's face with a magical mist (takes the image of a demonic creature).
  • Level Two: Haunting Memories: Creates painful images and transfers them to the next person touched.
  • Level Two: Sign of the Moon: Makes the claw and fang attacks of Lupines less effective.
  • Level Two: Summon Grantel: Allows a summoner to summon Grantel, the Mandragora.
  • Level Three: Sign of the Wraith: Makes a Infernalist immune to attacks of all spirits for a period of 13 minutes, though they cannot effect them for the same period.
  • Level Three: Summon Tivilio: Allows a summoner to summon Tivilio.
  • Level Three: Turn to Toad: Turns the practitioner or another individual into a toad.
  • Level Four: Bind Tivilio: Forces Tivilio to perform one task after it has been summoned.
  • Level Four: Summon Lucricia: Allows a summoner to summon Lucricia the Succubus
  • Level Five: Dismiss Tivilio: Removes Tivilio from this world. This ritual angers Tivilio, and it may seek retribution should it ever return.
  • Level Five: The Inner Furnace: Can only be used against humans. Causes a single victim to self-combust.
  • Level Five: Soul Leech: Can draw the souls out of the recently deceased.
  • Level Six: Summon Barliagus: Allows a summoner to summon Barliagus the Cataboligne.
  • Level Six: Transfer Essence: Transfers the Infernalist's soul into a new body.

References[]

^  Fires of the Inferno

Fires of the Inferno Guide to the Sabbat Pg. 99
Fires of the Inferno Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat Pg. 55
Fires of the Inferno Rites of the Blood Pg. 167-168

^  Path of Phobos

Path of Phobos Guide to the Sabbat Pg. 100
Path of Phobos Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat Pg. 56-57
Path of Phobos Rites of the Blood Pg. 167-168

^  Taking of the Spirit

Taking of the Spirit Guide to the Sabbat Pg. 101
Taking of the Spirit Rites of the Blood Pg. 168

^  Path of Pain

Path of Pain Sins of the Blood Pg. 86-87

^  Path of Pleasure

Path of Pleasure Sins of the Blood Pg. 87-89
Chains of Pleasure Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat Pg. 53-54

^  Path of the Defiler

Path of the Defiler Sins of the Blood Pg. 89-91

^  Path of the Unspoken

Path of the Unspoken Sins of the Blood Pg. 91-93

^  Path of Pestilence

Path of Pestilence Sins of the Blood Pg. 93-95
Path of Pestilence Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat Pg. 55

^  Rego Venalis

Rego Venalis Dark Ages Companion Pg. 105

^  Video Nefas

Video Nefas Dark Ages Companion Pg. 105-106

^  Rego Dolor

Rego Dolor Dark Ages Companion Pg. 106-107

^  Rego Manes

Rego Manes Dark Ages Companion Pg. 107-108

^  Rego Calatio

Rego Calatio Tome of Secrets Pg. 111-112

^  Die Herrschaft des Wyrm

Die Herrschaft des Wyrm Tome of Secrets Pg. 109-111
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