Ordo Dracul
From SuspireWiki
but I didn’t understand him back then.
I’m starting to get it, now.
I figure that, with another thirty years of school
and finished doctorates in psychology and chemistry,
I’ll be ready to change
my Blood and follow his lead.
Then I’ll understand what he was trying to tell me.”
— Alexander Florescu,
Honest Scribe of the Whispering Beast
The Order teaches that nothing is permanent, that even vampirism can be overcome. The Dragons have developed a number of supernatural paths that lessen the effects of the Curse, paths they call the Coils of the Dragon. Although there is no evidence of any Kindred fully escaping the Requiem through the Dragons' rites, the Order's beliefs still attract Kindred of all types and ages into its ranks. All are welcome, so that their knowledge and experiences of the vampiric condition can be shared. This growing pool of knowledge is one of the Dragons' goals – the more they know of the Curse, the better they can act against it.
Benefit: Members of the Ordo Dracul may learn the Coils of the Dragon. The Coils of the Dragon are a special set of rites that allow Kindred to overcome some parts of the Curse.
taken with permission from :: ordodracul.com ::
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House Rules
Coils of the Dragon
So, viewing the Ordo Dracul covenant book, we have decided that a 20 level discipline is completely unacceptable for our enviroment (adding the XP total cost came out with a frightening number). Therefore, we've decided to work up our own system for learning the Coils.
First, to learn in a single Coil a level which you do not know, it will require one level of a singular Mentor merit. Explanation forthcoming: Let's say your character has Coil of Blood 2, Coil of Banes 1. You speak with your fellow Dragons in character and you determine that no one in the game knows Blood 3 and 4, which are two levels you wish to learn. In order to have permission to purchase those with XP, you will have to buy Mentor 1 for Coil of Blood. Later on, your character wishes to expand on his level of Banes, possibly up to 4 in time.
Again, he is unable to find anyone in-game that is able to teach him the upper levels so he will now have to purchase Mentor up to 2 for Coil of Blood and Coil of Banes. If he wished to simply learn from another Dracul member who agrees to teach him the levels they know and he wishes no more than that, there is no necessity to buying the Mentor merit for that since it occurs and is purchased through IC-interaction.
Finally, Coils of the Dragon cost 7X New Level, but they are purchased like individual disciplines.
Sworn
Characters may not start as a member of the Sworn. You must earn it through IC interaction.
Fontal Rituals Merit
We nixed requiring this in order to learn the rituals (it seemed pointless).
Fontal Rituals Approved
Arcane Vitae
Drink the Resounding Blood
Feast of Blood
To note, we are not adverse to allowing other covenants/people the chance to make their own "Fontal Rituals" though they'd need to make it according to their shit and naming... as long as they're appropriate to the character. They WILL need an occult of at least 2 and a spec in "nests" of some variety, possibly "places of power" etc.
Geomantic Nexus & Potency
We have decided to clarify this merit a bit for the general consumption. The merit can be bought multiple times, but a single building can only have a max potency of 3, which could be split up legally. An example of illegally is: Wanting a whole building to have manipulation +2, except one little itty bitty room which has intelligence +1. An example of legally is: Two seperate areas/rooms of a building having manipulation +2 and intelligence +1 respectively. Also legal is allowing a building to have +3 presence.
We allow this for Ordo Dracul and Architects of the Monolith.
Finding Wyrms Nests
reprinted from the Ordo Dracul book for ease of reference
...requires a roll of Intelligence + Occult with a Specialty in Ley Lines, Wyrm’s Nests ... modified as follows:
| Suggested Modifiers | |
| Modifier | Situation |
| +1 | Detailed records stretching back more than 10 years (6 months in-game). |
| +1 | Researcher has some skill in Auspex or Crúac and has personally perceived ley lines/Wyrm’s Nests. |
| -1 | Incomplete/altered records. |
| -1 | Researcher uses a computer. |
Requires: Occult specialty in “Wyrm’s Nests”.
- Select a domain.
- Extrapolation takes 10 successes, 1 roll is 1 downtime hour. If granted leylines information from another source, +1 mod (Max of +2 overall) per adjacent domain given with leylines information in it.
- Teamwork. Teamwork rules apply. More ordo in spot knowing what they're talking about = easier.
- Once you find a nest, you are only given basic information on it. This does not tell you if it is a Haunted, Fontal or Crucible, and it definitely does not tell you if any of the above are perilous. You will need to literally ask for a scene to investigate to confirm a nest.
- Confirming a nest requires “The Spirit’s Touch” (Auspex 3), “Sample the Earth” (Devotion from Ordo Dracul) or “Arcane Sight” (Devotion from Vampire the Requiem).
Notes: Paths of Prey (Gilded Cage Level 1 Ritual) applies for Finding Leylines only.
Characters searching for nests in a particular domain and spend more than three nights (IE more than 3 rolls) will show up as "doing stuff" in a domain for that week on any domain rolled in that particular area.
You can search with a -2 on your roll to try and be "secret". Only an exceptional Domain roll success would then pick you up in that particular domain.
Finding Leylines
Requires: Occult specialty in “Leylines”
- Use the same rules as finding Wyrm’s nests, however, you won’t be able to deduce nest points from your searches. That is what Finding Wyrm’s Nests is for.
- Paths of Prey (Gilded Cage Level 1 Ritual) will give an entire domain’s leylines paths to the user on success but will not give any information on possible nest points.
Fontal Nest Rules
Fontals (1-5)
Fontals are places of power which can be utilized for the good of characters who seek to gain power and understanding from them. In order to utilize Fontals, you must follow the following steps:
- Locating Fontals. First, you must locate fontals, which requires the character to utilize the rules for “Finding Wyrms Nests”.
- Attuning. Characters must attune themselves to a nest (to be noted, this is not the same as confirming a nest, by Ordo Dracul standards). To do this, it requires Meditation or a supernatural power that allows mystical attunement (Auspex 3 for example).
- Gained Benefit from Attunement. After attunement, a character may roll Wits + Occult. Successes on such a roll may be used to gain benefits from the Skill bonuses present at a particular fontal on a one for one basis (up to the maximum number allowed by the Fontal's rating in question).
- Fontal Rituals. Drain one point of "power" from the Fontal per ritual cast.
Fontals recharge their rating each day.
Ordo Dracul Important Links
Covenant Ascendancy Information
During the Dragon's ascendancy, all members of the Order find themselves with far easier ability to handle their night to night studies and affairs. Each dragon gains a +1 die on Nest or Leyline Mapping, Coil learning and Instruction rolls.
What's more, from their increased ability for efficiency due to the benefits not spent on the struggle for dominance, the Ordo Dracul has the ability to refine their practices in drawing essence from Fontal Nests. Systematically, this is represented by each Fontal Nest having a +1 Value for members of the Order. Their increased affluency allows for more time to be spent studying the Occult and thus gain access to Allies (Occult) 1.
Current Faction Views
Once the rulers of Atlanta, the Order in the last 50 years has fallen back into the shadows to wait and watch and learn. Some whisper that they are plotting to retake the city, others that Prince Winchester was the only bit of backbone in the covenant. The truth of the matter is as always somewhere in the middle, but for now the Ordo Dracul simply sits on the sidelines and watches the Kindred of Atlanta in their Danse under the critical eye of the Grand Wyrm, Philosopher Krailo.
Views of the other Covenants
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