Nightmare

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There’s no question that one of the foremost powers of legendary vampires is the ability to strike fear in the hearts of mortal men. Also born of mortal existence, other now-supernatural beings are susceptible. Fear is a fact of existence that transcends any origins.

Vampires who delve into the dark side of their being — often exploring the Beast or what it means to be monstrous — invest in the Discipline of Nightmare. They learn to bear that which is terrifying or unholy about their spirits, manifesting their inhumanity in their appearance or letting unfortunate onlookers peer deep into the creatures’ depraved souls. The results can take a jaded individual aback or subject an unsuspecting victim to a fatal physiological reaction (to literally be frightened to death).

Practitioners of Nightmare explore this route to power for different reasons. One vampire might exult in his inhuman nature and enjoy lording over lessers. The Discipline offers immediate gratification, and these Kindred display what is hideous about themselves to everyone, hiding it only insofar as they must in order to observe the secrecy of the Traditions. Other undead recognize the wisdom or even benevolence that fear affords. What better way to deal with a problem or avoid a confrontation than by frightening away an opponent? How better to protect someone from harm than by scaring her off? And if one seeks solitude, striking fear is certainly more effective than issuing threats, trying to reason with would-be intruders or orchestrating ever more elaborate means by which to hide.

Note: All uses of Nightmare gain a +2 bonus if the individual power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie. Naturally, this bonus does not apply to the subject’s resistance.

Monstrous Countenance

The true face of a vampire is a frightening thing, indeed — made all the more terrifying by the assistance of this entirely unsubtle Nightmare power. When a Kindred activates Monstrous Countenance, he does so in conjunction with a ferocious baring of fangs and a raspy, malevolent hiss. The result is a visage most foul, one that can make stalwart foes cower at the vampire’s feet.

Cost:
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Nightmare versus subject’s Composure + Blood Potency (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not apply to the Discipline user’s roll.)
Action: Contested

An activation roll is made for the vampire, and a reflexive and contested roll is made for anyone who looks upon him. For a group of observers, particularly mortals, the Storyteller may roll the highest Composure of the crowd as an indicator of the group’s reaction. Any onlooker must see the vampire in person; the character’s appearance is frightening on a television or video camera, but no more so than any special effect. The vampire may maintain his frightening countenance and manner for the remainder of the scene and terrify anyone whom he encounters. Record the successes achieved on the power’s activation roll to compare to all comers’ contested rolls.

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is incapable of Monstrous Countenance for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The subject’s successes exceed or tie those rolled for the vampire. The subject is a bit shaken, but otherwise unaffected.
Success: Successes rolled for the vampire exceed those rolled for the subject. The victim flees the vampire’s presence entirely, using all available means at his disposal to do so. He continues fleeing for one turn per success rolled and will not come within sight of the vampire for the remainder of the scene.
Exceptional Success: An exceptional success reduces the subject to a cowering heap, unable to take any action of his own volition. If attacked, a terror-stricken foe can defend himself (he is allowed Defense but not a dodge action), and may attack anyone who attacks him. He cannot attack the Nightmare-user, even if she is also the source of an attack. The victim remains terrified as long as the vampire remains in the vicinity.

Dread

While an outward, physical manifestation can strike fear in onlookers, it is an overt, blunt means by which to prey upon the weak. More insidious and subtle is a general sense of unease, rising panic and paranoia that a vampire can engender with this power.

Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy + Nightmare versus subject’s Composure + Blood Potency (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not apply to the Discipline user’s roll.)
Action: Contested

Gloom, disquiet and uncertainty creeps into the hearts of people around the vampire. Anyone within three yards per Willpower dot that the vampire possesses can be affected. One contested roll may be made reflexively for a crowd of prospective victims — probably mortals — based on the highest Composure among them.

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is incapable of Dread for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: Successes rolled for the subject exceed or tie those rolled for the vampire. The subject feels no ill effects.
Success: The most successes are rolled for the vampire using Dread. See the following for results.
Exceptional Success: The roll made for the vampire wins the contested roll and gets five or more successes. See the following for results. Each victim also loses a Willpower point.

The atmosphere of fear persists either as long as the vampire concentrates on it or until the end of the scene, whichever comes first. If the vampire does anything else drastic such as attacking someone, performing a dodge maneuver or activating another Discipline, the effects of Dread cease. Record the number of successes rolled for the vampire when this power is activated, and compare it to any rolled for newcomers to the power’s area of effect.

Those who lose the contested roll suffer a -2 penalty on all actions out of an inexplicable rising panic. Nor can they spend Willpower to gain three extra dice on any rolls, or +2 to any Resistance traits. (Willpower can be spent to activate capabilities or powers that require it, however.)

Dread cannot be used selectively on some people surrounding the user, and not on others. Its effects are all or nothing. Nor can it be used more than once on any subject in a single scene.

Eye of the Beast

The terrifying nature of the Beast is a horrific reminder of the fundamental predator-prey dichotomy of existence. Shown the Beast, another being is reduced to the most primal of instincts, foregoing all reason and cunning in the face of primeval horror. The vampire makes eye contact with a subject and reveals the inner core of the Kindred’s being. The Beast looks hungrily upon the subject and invokes a reaction appropriate to that person’s nature. Direct eye contact is required between vampire and target; looking at someone over a satellite transmission does not apply.

Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: Presence + Empathy + Nightmare versus subject’s Composure + Blood Potency (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not apply to the Discipline user’s roll.)
Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is incapable of Eye of the Beast for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: Successes rolled for the subject exceed or tie those rolled for the vampire. The onlooker is taken aback, but no effect is triggered.
Success: The most successes are rolled for the vampire against a mortal. The victim is paralyzed with fear, incapable of moving or taking any action. If the victim is attacked, his Defense applies and he may act in the next turn and thereafter, but he must dedicate all his efforts to escaping the vampire’s proximity. Therefore, he doesn’t take time to attack anyone unless doing so is necessary to escaping. Unmolested, a mortal remains paralyzed as long as the vampire remains in his presence. If the spell is broken with an attack, the victim spends the remainder of the scene trying to flee the creature.
Alternatively, the most successes are rolled for the character against another vampire or another supernatural being that is capable of frenzy. The victim must flee the vampire for the remainder of the scene as per the Frenzy rules. Another vampire is subject to Rötschreck, for example. In this case, if successes rolled for the subject tie those rolled for the character, the subject simply frenzies for the remainder of the turn without fleeing, attacking anyone near him. That might include the user of Eye of the Beast.
Exceptional Success: As a success, but the subject also loses a point of Willpower.

Shatter the Mind

No description can be given to this level of Nightmare mastery other than inhumane brutality. And yet, the power is horribly insidious for affecting only a victim’s mind, leaving the body untouched. The vampire confronts a subject with her greatest fear, driving her mad.

Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy + Nightmare versus subject’s Composure + Blood Potency (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not apply to the Discipline user’s roll.)
Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is incapable of using Shatter the Mind for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: Successes rolled for the subject exceed or tie those rolled for the vampire. There is no effect.
Success: The most successes are rolled for the user of the power. The victim loses her next action as she reels from the vision with which she is confronted. Her Defense still applies, but she cannot perform a dodge maneuver. All other actions for the remainder of the scene are performed at -1, and she loses one Willpower point. The victim is subject to a mild derangement for a number of weeks equal to the successes rolled for the Discipline user. The Storyteller decides what the derangement is. If the victim already has a mild derangement, the Storyteller can upgrade it to a severe one for the duration.
Exceptional Success: The roll made for the vampire wins the contested roll and gets five or more successes. The victim falls unconscious and remains so until the end of the scene. Upon waking, she loses one Willpower dot and is subject to a severe derangement of the Storyteller’s choosing. This ailment is permanent unless the victim can overcome it through treatment.

By use of this power, a vampire actually inflicts no physical harm upon the subject. He simply awakens her thoughts to the most horrific thing that she can imagine befalling her, and her subconscious mind proceeds from there. The victim imagines that a doomed fate befalls her, regardless of how implausible or nonsensical it might be under the circumstances — drowning while walking down a city street, for example. And yet, she imagines and is convinced that the situation occurs all the same.

Once used successfully on a victim, Shatter the Mind cannot be applied against her again in that scene by any vampire.

Mortal Fear

At this point, the vampire is able to inspire fear as a weapon unto itself. A victim is so thoroughly and intensely frightened by the vampire that he suffers physical damage. He ages prematurely, his hair turns white and his heart stops temporarily — or permanently. Even other vampires can be affected. They’re reminded of what fear meant back during their breathing days, no matter how long ago those days might have been. The subject must be able to see the vampire employing this power for it to take effect.

Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation + Nightmare – Composure (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not apply to the Discipline user’s roll.)
Action: Instant

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The vampire is incapable of inflicting Mortal Fear for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: No successes are achieved. While the subject is taken aback, he suffers no pain or other effects.
Success: Each success inflicts a point of lethal damage on a living being, whether mortal or supernatural in nature, including ghouls. Each success costs another vampire a Willpower point.
Exceptional Success: As a success, except the victim also loses a Willpower dot.

The power can be used on only one target at a time. A crowd of onlookers may see the activating vampire, but he wracks the body and soul of only one of those people. Other onlookers see nothing particularly frightening. Once used successfully on a victim, Mortal Fear cannot be applied against him again in that scene by any vampire.