The Kindred Discipline of striking fear and dread into the hearts of others. Practitioners learn to manifest their inhumanity in their appearance or by letting unfortunate onlookers peer deep into their Damned souls. The Discipline can have a variety of effects, from shocking even the most jaded individual to literally frightening a victim to death. Nightmare is the signature Discipline of clan Nosferatu.
• 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. This horrid display may be enough to shake the confidence on any onlooker, but the supernatural revelation of the vampire's Beast terrifies beyond the flesh, into the soul. The result is an experience most terrible, 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
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
- A more subtle act than Monstrous Countenance, Dread instills the feeling of pure terror in the recipient's mind.
••• 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.
•••• Shatter the Mind
- The name is self-explanatory. Brutal, subtle, and evil, Shatter the Mind shows a victim their greatest fear, driving them insane.
| Exceptional Success: No additional effect other than increased effectiveness.
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••••• Mortal Fear
- The vampire weilds fear as a weapon, dealing actual physical damage with the terror they inflict. Premature aging, hair turning white, and even heart attacks are noted with use of Mortal Fear.
- Even other vampires can be targets of Mortal Fear, reminding them of what they used to fear before becoming immortal.
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| Exceptional Success: No additional effect other than increased effectiveness.
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