Ritae

Instead of pairing their Path-based Convictions with living Touchstones, Sabbat vampires pair them with specific Auctoritas Ritae. Even Packs that are composed of vampires all on the same Path may have members with wildly different Convictions and Touchstone Ritae. Though most Sabbat revere the Vaulderie regardless of Path, a Cainite can never connect different Convictions to the same Touchstone Ritae.

This also means that when these Ritae are disrupted or disrespected, Sabbat can gain Stains or Frenzy as if a Touchstone had been damaged or threatened. This reverence for the Ritae also extends to any implements the Pack requires to perform these Touchstone Ritae. The destruction of such an item could result in the loss of the Conviction associated with that Ritae if the implement is irreplaceable. This means that Sabbat Packs guard their Vaulderie chalices, Noddist text fragments and ritual weapons with great care. In all other ways Touchstone Ritae operate in place of a Sabbat vampire’s normal Touchstones.

This is another reason that Sabbat Packs often target the mortal Touchstones of their recruits, to prevent them from regaining their Humanity if they find the trials of their Path too great to bear. It is exceedingly rare for a vampire who has successfully embarked on a Path to find a way to return to Humanity but reconnecting with a Touchstone seems to be a necessary part of the process. What seems certain is that no vampire has ever been able to reclaim their Humanity without a living Touchstone.

• System: Once per Session, a Sabbat vampire may make a Remorse roll (see V5 Corebook pg. 239) or remove one of their Stains when their Pack participates in one of the vampire’s Touchstone Ritae.