Kamen ("the Mask") is the unique discipline of the Sotoha Bloodline of the Ventrue. It aids the Kamen in preserving "Face", the calm exterior that betrays nothing of one's inner emotion - even in the shadow of the Beast.
For more details, purchase The Invictus a Sourcebook for Vampire: the Requiem.
The Kamen discipline is well known within the covenant of the Invictus as being associated with the Sotoha bloodline.
Basic Discipline Levels
• Tatemae
Tatemae (ta-TEH-my) is the Japanese term for the emotions that one presents to the world, as opposed to what one truly feels. The first Kamen power allows a Kindred to hide his emotions perfectly.
This power only truly allows a Kindred to suggest that his true thoughts match the ones he is displaying. He cannot choose to look like a loyal servant pretending to be discontent; he must either look like a loyal servant who is displaying his loyalty or a discontent servant displaying his discontent. This limits the subtlety of the deceptions a Kindred with this Discipline can practice.
The emotion displayed is normally quite general, so that the mask remains useful for the whole of a conversation. Thus, it would be normal to fake loyalty, friendliness or sympathy but not amusement at a particular joke. However, faking amusement at a comedy performance would be reasonable. It is not uncommon for Sotoha Kindred to use this power all the time.
Cost: —
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Expression + Kamen
Action: Instant, normally. Characters may contest attempts to use supernatural abilities to see through the Kindred’s mask with Composure + Expression + Kamen.
Mundane attempts to assess what the Kindred is feeling always conclude that the facade he is projecting is wholly genuine. Supernatural attempts may also be fooled, unless they can overcome the Discipline in an opposed roll. In addition, the Kindred must attempt to keep the deception up. Actions that clearly break the image also end the effect of the power. Thus, a Kindred faking interest in a lecture would not continue to appear interested if he started reading a book instead. However, the power of the Discipline does mean that the Kindred does not need to make a great effort to maintain the façade.
The Kindred using this power need not be faking his displayed emotion. Even when a Kindred is sincere, it may be to his advantage to definitely appear so. If a supernatural attempt to pierce the Discipline succeeds, the user knows that it has, even if the emotion revealed is the same as the one the Discipline was displaying.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The character’s true feelings, and the fact that he is trying to hide them, are obvious to everyone. The character does not, however, realize that he is so transparent. He suffers a –2 penalty on all Social dice pools for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The character must rely on his mundane acting abilities to hide his true feelings. He is aware that his attempt to activate the Discipline failed.
Success: The character can maintain one poise perfectly. That is, he can choose to have one emotion look entirely genuine for the duration of a scene. To change the emotion, however, he must activate the power (and the player must roll) again. For example, a character makes his act of friendliness towards a Carthian troublemaker appear genuine. Later, the Prince’s enforcers descend, and the character needs to make his show of loyalty to the Prince seem genuine. This requires a new roll.
Exceptional Success: The character can change his mask at will for the duration of the scene. Thus, in the example above, a new roll would not be required to make his loyalty appear genuine.
•• The Fitting Time
The Kamen delays entering Frenzy, giving herself time to avoid embarrassment.
••• The Wave is the Man
The vampire has much more control when entering a voluntary frenzy and "riding the wave" - he may use mental Disciplines, hold on to rational thought, and appear to be behaving normally.
•••• Masking the Beast*
The vampire maintains control even when entering involuntary frenzies.
••••• The Man is the Wave*
The vampire can enter and exit Frenzy at will, as well as draw upon the power of the Beast while not in Frenzy.
*Note
These abilities are custom to Edge of Darkness
