Thanatosis

The practioners of this discipline are obsessed with the appearance of death, and find themselves shunned by all but the most twisted of Kindred.

1 • Hag's Wrinkles
The character can expand or contract his skin. This ability allows the character to change both his general appearance and his apparent age. Used in conjunction with Obfuscate or Vicissitude, this ability reduces by one the difficulty to alter appearance. This can also be used to conceal small items on the body by creating pockets of flesh that are then tightly sealed against the rest of the body. Costs one blood point.

2 • Putrefaction
This power allows the character to induce decomposition in an opponent. Rapid movement speeds the Putrefaction until pieces of flesh and hair begin to fall off the target. The only way to prevent these losses is to cease activity. The character first declares how many blood points are to be spent. For every success and every blood point spent, the opponent loses one point of Appearance. If the target continues to move or take active part in combat situation, she will suffer the worst effects. And yes, the effect is painful to decompose.

3 • Ashes to Ashes
This power permits a character to transform into a heavy, powdery substance, this enabling her to avoid being burned by fire or sunlight. No actions are available to character in this form. Costs two blood points. This form in uneffected by wind and rain but can be separated by force. The character can be reformed but only wiht the help of a retainer or friend. Reformation is at best painful because parts of the Kindred can be missing. More than one Samedi has met Final Death as a result of carelessness on the part of a loyal but stupid retainer.

4 • Withering
This power allows the character to "mummify" an opponent, one limb at a time. Limbs that have been withered are useless, unable to hold blood, incapable of movement and in great pain. Withered limbs return to normal after one night, if the target is supernatural. If used on a mortal the effect is permanent and gangrenous. The limb to be affected must be touched and expenditure of one Willpower point. Use of this ability on the head is instantly fatal to mortals, and will drop a Kindred opponent into a state resembling torpor for the night. This target is not actually in torpor, but is unable to use any disciplines at all while suffering from a shrunken head.

5 • Infection
This power permits a character to create an "infection" in any aggravated wounds her opponent may have suffered. This infection causes no damage, but can be used to feed blood points to the infected target at range. This ability is often used to feed retainers, and to Blood Bond other Kindred without their knowing of it. Costs one blood point.

6 • Compress
By expending three blood points, the character can cause the skin of an opponent to shrink until it ruptures and explodes off the target, causing four health levels of aggravated damage. Targets with Fortitude can resist this power by soaking it. The compressor can "absorb" the skin and add 3 extra dots of Stamina for the remainder of the night. Samedi who overtly display this ability are not popular with their Kindred peers. The additional Stamina can only be gained by taking one turn to hold the remaining skin and expending an additional blood point.

7 • Dust to Dust
This works just as Ashes to Ashes but is less restricted. Once the character has opted to transform, he retains complete control over all mental disciplines except Dominate and Thaumaturgy. The dust cannot be forced apart or moved unless the character so desires. This character can also use winds to aid movement while in this form. The character can reform her natural shape without assistance and by expending one blood point.

8 • Rigor Mortis
This inflicts rigor mortis on an opponent resulting in the hardending and contracting of all ligaments and tendons. Costs one Willpower point. The target loses three points of Dexterity and suffers severe pain. Mental disciplines are more difficult to use. It can be reversed with expenditure of 5 blood points but the afflicted chances a frenzy. If the target of the attack fails to avoid a frenzy or opts to attack without spending the 5 blood points, the tightened ligaments snaps causing three Health levels of automatic aggravated damage. This damage cannot be soaked and continues to accumulate every turn that the victim attempts violent motion.

9/10 • There are no known Samedi of lower generation than fifth, but rumors continue to surface about truly powerful Samedi, and their ability to reduce their enemies to rotting corpses.