Auspex

AUSPEX

Scrying | Anima Visus | Mytherceria | Voyeurism

Among the greatest gifts and worst curses afflicting vampires, the Discipline of Auspex allows Kindred to discern truth from lies, probe the minds of those around them, and perceive reality on a different level than other beings. What appears to be the ultimate power in foresight and vision grants its wielders perhaps too much knowledge. They may detect an assassin’s blade before it strikes or get into an enemy’s head to turn them around, but they can also sense every shift in emotion, good and bad, see things they wish they had not, and discern futures they may not wish to explore. Users of Auspex invite paranoia, but using it is addictive. Once you know the truth rests within your grasp, you seek it out at every opportunity.

Kindred use Auspex in many ways. Some vampires act as spies for their courts or factions. Others act on their own, blackmailing mortals and immortals with secrets gleaned from quiet conversations, subtle emotional shifts, and telepathic intrusion. Auspex allows its user to play the role of domain detective, studying the scene of a vampire’s destruction for tell-tale spiritual clues or interrogating suspects with unnatural accuracy.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Type: Mental

• Masquerade Threat: Low.
  Auspex never by itself manifests in a way visible to the naked eye or causes effects that can’t be rationalized, if only as dumb luck.

• Blood Resonance: Phlegmatic.
  Artists (especially photographers) and visionaries, certain schizophrenics, users of psychoactive substances, detectives.

Storytellers may wish to make Auspex rolls for characters in order to more convincingly provide wrong or incomplete answers after failed rolls.

LEVEL 1

HEIGHTENED SENSES

Auspex •

The vampire’s senses sharpen to a preternatural degree, giving them the ability to see in pitch darkness, hear ultrasonic frequencies and smell the fear of cowering prey.

Cost: Free (but see below)

Dice Pools: Wits + Resolve

System: The user adds their Auspex rating to all perception rolls. If exposed to extreme sensations, such as loud bangs, flashes of intense light or overpowering smells while the power is active the user must succeed on a Wits + Resolve (Difficulty 3 or more) roll to dampen their senses in time, or the overload causes them to sustain a -3 dice penalty to all perception-based rolls for the rest of the scene.

Duration: Until deactivated. Having the power active for longer stretches of time without rest (more than a scene), especially so for high-stimulus environments, might necessitate spending Willpower, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

_{Core Book, pg. 249}

SENSE THE UNSEEN

Auspex •

The senses of the vampire become attuned to dimensions beyond the mundane, allowing them to sense presences otherwise hidden from the naked eye. This can be anything from another vampire using Obfuscate to someone using Auspex to spy upon the character to a ghost in the middle of the room. Dormant Blood Sorcery spells and rituals might also be found with this power, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

Cost: Free

Dice Pools: Wits + Auspex or Resolve + Auspex

System: Whenever there’s something supernatural hiding in plain sight, the Storyteller makes a hidden roll of Wits + Auspex against a Difficulty they choose. Against an entity actively trying to stay hidden, the Storyteller can call for a blind roll (“Lisa, roll seven dice for me”) as a contest against the target’s relevant pool. (For example, detecting a vampire using Obfuscate would be a roll of Wits + Auspex vs Wits + Obfuscate) If the vampire actively searches for a hidden supernatural entity, they roll Resolve + Auspex similarly.

Duration: Passive

_{Core Book, pg. 249}

LEVEL 2

PREMONITION

Auspex ••

The vampire experiences flashes of insight. These may take the form of raised hackles, sudden inspiration or even vivid visions. While never too precise, these visions can nudge the vampire out of harm’s way or reveal a truth previously overlooked.

Cost: Free or one Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex

System: Whenever the Storyteller deems it appropriate, this power gives the character a sudden hint that aids them in some way: letting them find a clue they’ve missed or saving them from danger. Whether it gives the character a sudden vision of themselves walking into a trap, an inviting red glow over the second right turn during a chase, or the brief flash of a skeleton beneath the floorboards in the Prince’s office, this power always gives the Storyteller license to subtly speed up play or move the story onto a desired track. The suggested limit is one premonition per scene, even if more than one character has Premonition.

The user can also actively provoke a premonition by focusing on a subject, making a Rouse Check and rolling Resolve + Auspex. The number of successes rolled determines the level of insight on the subject, if any.

Duration: Passive

_{Core Book, pg. 249}

OBEAH

Auspex ••

Amalgam: Fortitude •

The vampire soothes the mental or emotional turmoil of their subject, restoring to them a modicum of steadfastness. It is especially effective when used on mortals, either to help them through momentary agitation, or to calm them before feeding on them.

Cost: One Rouse Check and additional Willpower depending on circumstances

Dice Pools: Composure + Auspex

System: The vampire rolls Composure + Auspex against Difficulty 2 and restores a number of superficial Willpower damage levels equal to the margin on the roll. Alternatively, the user restores one aggravated Willpower damage level for every three successes in the margin.

If successfully used on a mortal, Obeah similarly calms them if they’re in a turbulent emotional state, or puts them otherwise at ease.

Use of this power takes a whole turn. If the vampire spends an entire scene instead, reduce the Difficulty to 0. Obeah must be used on someone other than the vampire invoking the power. A subject can be affected by the power only once per night.

If the user soothes more than one subject per night, the user suffers superficial Willpower damage equal to half the number of successes in the margin for every additional subject, as they take on the burden of so many charges.

Duration: N/A

_{V5 Companion, pg. 24}

LEVEL 3

SCRY THE SOUL

Auspex •••

By focusing on a person, the vampire can perceive the state of that person’s psyche as a shifting aura of colors. Auras reveal little precise information, but do provide clues regarding many subjects, e.g., emotional state, Resonance, and supernatural traits. If looking for a specific condition, the vampire can cursorily scan the crowd to detect it. Such cursory scans provide no further information.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Intelligence + Auspex vs Composure + Subterfuge

System: Make an Intelligence + Auspex vs Composure + Subterfuge roll. On a win, the Storyteller truthfully answers a number of questions equal to the margin of the roll about the target’s aura and psyche, including:

• The emotional state of the subject

• The Resonance in the subject’s blood

• Whether the subject is a vampire, werewolf, ghoul or any other supernatural being

• Whether the subject is under the influence of Blood Sorcery or other magic

• Whether the subject has committed diablerie in the last year

• A critical win allows discovery of something unexpected, as determined by the Storyteller

If scanning a crowd, roll versus a Difficulty determined by the size of the crowd and external distractions, as well as the type of trait being sought. (Finding the vampire in the living room might only be a Difficulty 3, while finding the most nervous person at a crowded rave is most likely Difficulty 6 or higher.)

Duration: One turn, or Storyteller’s discretion

_{Core Book, pg. 250}

SHARE THE SENSES

Auspex •••

By reaching out with their mind, the vampire can tap into the senses of another mortal or vampire, seeing, hearing, and feeling what they do. The user still retains their own perceptions and is still aware of their own surroundings, though the effect requires some getting used to. The user decides whether to tap into only one, some, or all of the target’s senses. When used on a stranger this power requires line of sight to initiate. However, it can be used over longer distances on someone who still has some of the user’s Blood in their body.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex

System: Roll Resolve + Auspex at Difficulty 3. This Difficulty can go up depending on distraction, distance, and other factors, such as the amount of the user’s Blood that remains in the target. The target usually remains unaware of the intrusion, but Sense the Unseen can allow the passenger to be noticed. To get rid of an unwanted rider, the victim must beat the intruder at a Wits + Resolve vs Wits + Resolve roll. An Auspex user thrown out this way cannot make another Sharing attempt until the next night.

Duration: One scene

_{Core Book, pg. 250}

LEVEL 4

SPIRIT'S TOUCH

Auspex ••••

By touching an inanimate object or the ground at a location, the vampire can sense the emotional residue left by those who have handled that object or visited the location in the past. The user gains insight into not only that person, but also what was done and under what circumstances. While rarely crystal clear, the information often provides leads impossible to gain from regular forensics and deduction.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Intelligence + Auspex

System: Make an Intelligence + Auspex roll versus a Difficulty depending on the information sought. Gleaning the emotional state of the user of a murder weapon used a few days before is Difficulty 3, but sensing the surroundings in which a 300-year old letter was written approaches Difficulty 6 or higher. Each point of margin on the roll allows the user to sense roughly one additional previous handler and set of circumstances, counting backwards from the most recent.

Duration: One scene

_{Core Book, pg. 250}

LEVEL 5

CLAIRVOYANCE

Auspex •••••

By closing their eyes and entering a light trance, the vampire becomes master of its surroundings. In a few minutes it can gather information from roughly a city-block sized area (more if outdoors or less populated) that would normally take many hours, perhaps days of legwork and investigation. Once connected in such a way to their surroundings the vampire can also receive information on anything happening out of the ordinary in the area.

Cost: One Rouse Check

Dice Pools: Intelligence + Auspex

System: Roll Intelligence + Auspex against a Difficulty based on the security and level of activity of the area. Using Clairvoyance on one’s own mansion would be Difficulty 3 while an unfamiliar city block in the slums of a major city would amount to 7 or more. The user adds their base Haven rating in extra dice to the pool when using Clairvoyance on their own haven.

The Storyteller answers the vampire’s questions about the comings and goings in the area, what people have seen and heard, topics of local gossip, recent major shocks or impressions, and so forth. The player can ask roughly one question per point of margin; answers about deliberately concealed information might consume more than one point. A critical win reveals something major, regardless of the questions asked, assuming there is something to reveal.

The vampire can also clairvoyantly monitor events in progress, though this requires them to remain in the area for as long as the effect is active.

Duration: A few minutes for information gathering, up to a night for vigilance.

_{Core Book, pg. 251}

POSSESSION

Auspex •••••

With this power the vampire can strip the will of a mortal and completely possess their body, using it as their own. While the mind of the subject remains hidden to the vampire, they can do anything and go anywhere the subject could while the power remains active. Using this, a vampire can even experience the sunlight, food, and physical sexuality long denied them, their host paying the price for whatever abuse the vampire wreaks on their body while riding it.

Cost: Two Rouse Checks

Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex vs Resolve + Intelligence

System: This power can only be used on mortals. If the mortal is a ghoul, they must first be Blood Bound to the user. Before possession can begin, the vampire must have eye contact with their victim (See Dominate, p. 254). The user then engages in a Resolve + Auspex vs Resolve + Intelligence conflict with the victim in order to inhabit their body. If the vampire’s player rolls a total failure, the victim becomes immune to further Possession attempts for the duration of the story.

Once the vampire inhabits the body of their victim, their own body falls into a torpor-like trance, completely unaware of their surrounding and their own physical state except for Aggravated damage, which breaks the trance and ends the effects. A vampire possessing a mortal can use Auspex, Presence, and Dominate through them. If the user wishes to extend Possession into daytime, they must make a roll to stay awake (p. 219). Failure to stay awake ends the power. Any Aggravated damage to the subject also risks ending the possession – the user must succeed at a Resolve + Auspex roll (Difficulty 2 + damage taken) to stay in control. If the subject dies during Possession, the resulting spiritual trauma immediately causes the user to sustain three levels of Aggravated damage to Willpower.

This power does not give the user the ability to read the mind, use the skills, or emulate the manners of the victim. Any skills employed use the possessing vampire’s rating. The user must make a Manipulation + Performance vs Wits + Insight roll to successfully impersonate the victim’s manners, expressions, and the like.

Finally, Possession violates the victim even more profoundly than a Blood Bond. The Storyteller should consider awarding Stains for this action.

Duration: Until ended, voluntarily or involuntarily.

_{Core Book, pg. 251}

TELEPATHY

Auspex •••••

At the highest levels of Auspex the vampire can now literally read minds, as well as project their own thoughts into the minds of others. While reading a mortal mind is relatively straightforward, undead minds requires a higher effort to penetrate.

Cost: One Rouse Check (plus one Willpower vs non-consenting vampires)

Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex vs Wits + Subterfuge

System: The user is not required to roll any dice to project their thoughts to another, vampire or mortal, though they do require line of sight. To read the mind of a mortal within line of sight, roll Resolve + Auspex vs Wits + Subterfuge while looking into their eyes. (Unless the mortal consents, in which case no roll is required.) A win means that the user can discern surface thoughts as a stream of images, with higher margin allowing the user to probe for more distant or buried memories. A critical win gives a coherent picture of the subject’s current thoughts and intentions. To read the mind of a non-consenting vampire, spend one Willpower point before rolling.

Duration: Roughly one minute per Rouse Check. Increased to a full scene on consenting subjects.

_{Core Book, pg. 252}

UNBURDENING THE BESTIAL SOUL

Auspex •••••

Amalgam: Dominate •••

Prerequisite: Obeah

As seekers of the promises of Golconda, some vampires explore ways to remedy the turbulent souls of their fellow Damned. This power shares some amount of the vampire’s moral serenity with a repentant Kindred, allowing some semblance of remorse to be restored while also keeping the Beast at bay. It does require the user to take on part of the mind and spirit of their subject, shackling their will to that of the user. (Most often seen among the Salubri, this power has no doubt contributed to their reputation as monstrous soul-thieves...)

Cost: Two Rouse Checks, gain one Stain

Dice Pools: Composure + Auspex vs. Humanity

System: The vampire spends a scene in seclusion with the subject and rolls Composure + Auspex vs. the Humanity of the subject. For every success in the margin, they can remove one Stain from the subject, or erect a psychological "shield" that will protect the subject from future Stains on a one-for-one basis. For example, a margin of three applied to a subject with no Stains would effectively "cancel out" up to three Stains acquired later in the session.

On a critical win the user can choose to forgo the above benefits, instead restoring a single point of Humanity to the subject, but no vampire can gain that benefit more than once, ever.

Unburdening the Bestial Soul works only on vampires, and only on subjects whose Humanity is lower than that of the user.

No matter the benefits received, for the rest of the session the subject is numbed, having part of their mind merged with the user, and any Dominate powers used on them by this power’s user succeed automatically with no eye contact necessary.

When the power expires, all psychological "shields" not used up are lost, though Stains removed or Humanity gained on initial application do not revert.

Duration: One session

_{V5 Companion, pg. 24}