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The token discipline of the Crossed, Obeah, is the art of pseudo-'possession', in which the Vessel dons what is called a 'Divine Mask'. Some Vessels--often those within the Circle of the Crone--will explain it as a 'drawing down' of a divine force onto and into them, which grants them the powers of the specific god. Those in the Ordo Dracul, however, insist vehemently (and observations via Auspex and other means prove) that no external source is applied; the forces in Obeah blossom from within the soul, consuming it temporarily and instilling it with supernatural forces of various kinds.
Kindred outside the bloodline are incapable of learning this Discipline; its peculiar ability to draw out an archetype with such peculiar force is endemic to the blood. For this reason, the Crossed only tend to hide the bloodline and its Discipline due to a desire for privacy and fear of persecution, mostly from the Lancea Sanctum.
The intense psychological nature of this power has a few effects and caveats:
First, Obeah may only be used on oneself. One cannot possess another with a god.
Second, for optimal success, at least one prop or costume piece, called a reagent, should be used. With such an object--ranging from the everyday to the genuinely extraordinary--the Crossed finds the profound spiritual transformation much easier.
Third, any aura perception or comparable power used by another party on a Crossed during Obeah's duration will show a profound insanity. There is very little that is conventionally sane about channeling divine power from within!
Fourth, a Crossed under Obeah's influence will not behave 'normally'. They may become more aggressive, more sensual, more mysterious, more playful--any or none of these, depending on the deity that rides them. Often a Crossed will forget his own name, instead using the god's. However, despite the profound personality changes the Vessel may undergo, they are still directed toward the same goals that they were before the 'possession'. Often Obeah is undertaken to make a given task easier, and in this case the Crossed retains their sense of purpose. Sometimes frivolous trickster-gods may briefly seem to lose direction, but it is usually regained.
Fifth, a Crossed may not be possessed by two gods simultaneously, any
more than an actor can play two roles at once. Only one god's gifts
may apply; they do not stack.
Finally, there is a necessary 'downtime' between uses of Obeah. A Vessel needs time to reform one's own sense of identity and relax after such a spiritually intense experience. Because of this, Obeah may only be used once per night.
Cost: Use of Obeah burns away one blood in the height of the religious
ecstasy. This is a metabolic function; it is, in other words, not
something that needs to be done visually, as in Cruac.
Obeah is bought like all other in-clan Disciplines (with a level cost
of 5 times the level purchased). Each Divine Mask is purchased for 5
experience points, and can be utilized at the highest level of Obeah
obtained. Unlike blood sorceries, no free Divine Masks are gained at
new levels of Obeah; all must be purchased with experience points.
Dice Pool: Wits + Occult + Obeah.
Action: Instant. While the actual act of donning the Mask takes one turn, however, at least one of the Mask's reagents (see below) must be either held or worn for the duration of the Obeah usage. Naturally, procuring and preparing oneself such reagents may take longer than the activation; precisely how long, particularly in combat situations and the like, is a matter of ST-discretion.
Roll Results:
Dramatic Failure: In the process, something goes terribly wrong, skewing the Crossed's sanity. Obeah may not be attempted for the rest of the night, and a temporary derangement (lasting for a number of nights equal to 10 minus the Crossed's Humanity) is gained.
Failure: The Crossed cannot get into the necessary state of mind. The power fails, no benefits are reaped, and Obeah may not be attempted for the rest of the evening.
Success: The Crossed successfully enters the necessary frame of mind, and dons the attempted Mask, gaining the benefits as listed in the Obeah level possessed for one scene. At the end of the scene, the personality reverts to normal, and all powers are lost. A successful use of Obeah may be ended prematurely (before the scene does, that is) with the expenditure of one willpower point. Also, frenzy ends Obeah.
Exceptional Success: Same as a Success, only that the Crossed gains the benefits of the level one higher than the Obeah level possessed. In case the Crossed possesses level 5 of Obeah, the Crossed may attempt another single use of Obeah within the same night--although an 'in-between' period in which the character resumes his usual personality and identity remains a necessity.
Levels:
As each Obeah level is a natural progression in the intensification of the Discipline's powers, the levels do not have special names:
Obeah level 1: The Crossed may choose between one of the Divine Mask's two skill bonuses, and may not access the other skill bonus. This must be chosen upon purchase of the Mask, and the skill bonus may not be 'switched out' for the other.
Obeah level 2: The Crossed may have both Divine Mask's skill bonuses available for use, although only one may be used during a single Obeah usage.
Obeah level 3: The Crossed may utilize both of the Mask's skill bonuses simultaneously.
Obeah level 4: The Crossed may utilize both of a Mask's skill bonuses simultaneously, or the Mask's single attribute bonus.
Obeah level 5: All bonuses granted by a Divine Mask may be used simultaneously.
Suggested Modifiers
-5: No reagent is used.
-5: The Crossed is attempting to don a Mask from a pantheon he does not hold any faith in.
-3: The reagent used is slipshod or obviously lacking (a plastic sword in place of a real one, or paper flowers in place of real ones, for example).
-3: The Crossed is rushed, distracted, or is attempting to don the Mask in combat.
-2: The Crossed's purpose in donning the Mask is at odds with the deity's personality or role (for example, donning the Mask of a venom-tongued trickster to negotiate a peace treaty).
+1: The reagent used is specifically dedicated to Obeah, and are not used for any other purpose.
+2: The Crossed has meditated tonight, prior to Obeah's usage.
+2: One or more reagents are used. Please note that this bonus may only be acquired once.
Divine Masks: Divine Masks are what are donned in the course of an Obeah usage--with the understanding that only one can be donned at a time. They are clustered into pantheons: groups of gods that are historically, geographically, or theologically linked. For example, there is the Greco-Roman pantheon, the Norse pantheon, the Egyptian pantheon, the Shinto pantheon, the Hindu pantheon...furthermore, it is generally accepted that a Crossed may only work Obeah within one pantheon--that of their own beliefs. To work with gods that one does not believe in could result in failure at best, and a bout of profound mental illness at worst. There are as many pantheons, potentially, as there are polytheistic cultures, and one is given as an example below. Individual Crossed may make their own pantheons for usage, with the understanding that the rules below provide a pattern to emulate.
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Pantheon Creation Rules
1) Pantheons consist of nine gods. Each god has one attribute assigned.
2) Each god is assigned two skills. Non-combat skills get a bonus of +2. Combat skills get a bonus of +1. There can be no overlap between gods' skill bonuses.
3) If a god receives a physical Attribute bonus and has sufficiently a sufficiently combative skill set to match, institute a -2 to frenzy checks of a type matching the deity's personality. (A goddess of crafts and fine handiwork with a Dexterity bonus wouldn't need the -2 penalty; a goddess of battle with a Dexterity bonus would.)
4) Assemble a list of reagents for each god. A wide list is best, with some easy, some hard, some Masquerade-safe, some not, some Elysium-safe, some not.
Example Pantheon: Santerian orisha
One of the earliest pantheons used by the Crossed--and the one presented here--is the pantheon used in the Afro-Carribean religion of Santeria. In it, demigod-entities called 'orisha' serve as intermediaries between mankind and a great, all-powerful distant God, and are what the faithful worship and the Crossed wear as Masks.
Eshu
A cunning trickster orisha, Eshu is said to be able to 'open paths' to allow for power, luck, and new opportunities. He serves as an intermediary between gods and men, and thus is said to be able to travel with infinite speed, and can speak any tongue. Some even equate him with Satan, tempting men to sell their souls to him at his symbol of the crossroads. Clever and lecherous, and a shapeshifter to boot, words are said to flow from his mouth like honey.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Wits.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Subterfuge, +2 to Socialize.
Reagents: A wooden staff, a pipe, a handful of cowrie shells.
Obatala
Obatala is the king of the orisha, and is wizened and ancient. He lives in lofty places, high mountains where the wind whips and the snow falls, and speaks only seldom. He created men's bodies and minds (and was drunk on palm wine at the time--this is why mankind is imperfect). Austere and distant, he bears many secrets.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Intelligence.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Academics, +2 to Occult.
Reagents: A white, unblemished handkerchief; a handful of cowrie shells; a pure, unbroken silver bangle.
Babalawu-Aye
The orisha of smallpox and other disfiguring diseases, Babalawu-Aye is said to live alone, hidden from the eyes of ordinary humans. He never speaks, and little is known about this orisha who can will the trees to bend and hide him, but he is said to be able to bring the healing powers of the very earth to those who seek him out where he lies in secret.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Manipulation.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Medicine, +2 to Stealth
Reagents: A gourd rattle; a hood to cover the face; mud and dried grasses, smeared over exposed skin.
Ochossi
Another orisha of wild places outside of the reach of men, Ochossi is a hunter, whom many Santeros identify as being like the 'noble savage' Indians in American stories. He is a skilled hunter and tracker, infinitely calm, who finds it far more comfortable to live in nature, with animals, than to submit to society's frivolities. Generally he is relaxed and helpful, although he will certainly fight viciously to defend what is his.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Stamina.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Animal Ken, +2 to Survival.
Reagents: A bow and arrow, an animal skin, a hunting knife.
Ogun
Ogun is an orisha of cold hard metal, and both his will and his body are said to be unbreakable like iron. With his rulership of all metal and tools, he has a patronage over weaponry, cars, guns, medicine (the surgeon's scalpel), and even such ephemeral concepts as oaths (for they are unbreakable like metal) and political fights for freedom (due to the imagery of bonds breaking). He is cold, hard, and uncompromising. A Crossed wearing the Divine Mask of Ogun suffers -2 to Wrath-related frenzy rolls, due to his explicit nature as a violent warrior. This stacks with any Wrath penalty the Crossed may already possess.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Resolve except in cases of Wrath-related frenzy rolls; in which case, see above.
Skill Bonuses: +1 to Firearms, +2 to Crafts.
Reagents: A machete, a length of chain, black leather gloves.
Oshun
Oshun is, to be simplistic, the orisha of love. Her patronship extends beyond that--to marriage, diplomacy, art and music, and even the occult and prophecy. But at her core she is sensuality, sexuality, and beauty. She is said to be heartbreakingly attractive, and coquettish too; she is slow to anger, and yet her wrath, when peaked, is terrible and difficult to abate. Her personality is said to be typified by African rivers: slow, gentle, sweet, and full of riches and bounty--and yet furious during storms.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Presence.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Persuasion, +2 to Politics.
Reagents: A golden ring, yellow flowers, a hand mirror.
Oya
Oya is the orisha of the storm. A force of tumultuous change, she is said to be far stronger than any man, a proud warrior woman, an amazon queen who takes trouble from no one. Her skills do not end there, however, and her pride is not false; she is a hard-driving business-woman and politician, and she guards over the spirits of the dead and leads them into the earth. A Crossed wearing the Divine Mask of Oya suffers -2 to Pride-related frenzy rolls, due to her nature as a prideful queen. This stacks with any Pride penalty the Crossed may already possess.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Dexterity.
Skill Bonuses: +1 to Weaponry, +2 to Intimidation.
Reagents: A veil, a curved blade, a cow's horn.
Shango
Once a king of the Yoruba tribe, Shango ascended to become an orisha on his death. Greedy, gluttonous, lustful, and easily angered, Shango is nonetheless a symbol of machismo and power, and is venerated as such by santeros. In addition to wielding a double-headed axe of flame and lightning, and charging into storms with his lover Oya at his side, he is the patron of capoeristas--the cocky, proud Brazilian martial artists, whose combat becomes a flashy dance. A Crossed wearing the Divine Mask of Shango suffers -2 to Pride-related frenzy rolls, as he is a cocky god-king. This stacks with any Pride penalty the Crossed may already possess.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Strength.
Skill Bonuses: +1 to Brawl, +2 to Streetwise.
Reagents: An axe, a drum, a jagged piece of metal (like a thunderbolt).
Yemaya
Quiet, gracious, and fecund, Yemaya is the slow rocking ocean from which life springs. She is highly maternal and gentle, always sensitive and careful; while she can be stern, even violent, it is more out of caring for her multitude of children than out of any genuine cruelty. She guides ships, and ensures safe passage.
Attribute Bonus: +1 to Composure.
Skill Bonuses: +2 to Empathy, +2 to Expression.
Reagents: A string of pearls, a conch shell, a sextant.